NEW DELHI: Amid continuing strain in US-India relations over tariff uncertainty, US Army Secretary Daniel P Driscoll is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi. Sources confirmed that this will be
Driscoll’s first visit to India since assuming charge as Secretary of the Army in February last year. He will be accompanied by a 13-member delegation from the United States.
After a brief stopover in New Delhi, the delegation is expected to travel to a Central Asian country before returning to the Indian capital on January 23. During his visit, Driscoll is scheduled to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, with a focus on strengthening defence and strategic cooperation.
It is also learnt that the US Army Secretary is seeking a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his stay. The visit comes in the backdrop of Washington having imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India in August 2025 as a penalty for continuing oil purchases from Russia.
Despite the tariff action, the US State Department in November 2025 approved the sale of up to 216 Excalibur artillery munitions and 100 Javelin anti-tank missile systems to India at an estimated cost of $93 million. The Indian Army had used M982 Excalibur precision-guided artillery shells during Operation Sindoor, and the latest procurement is meant to replenish stocks used with M777 howitzers.
The United States has been promoting its military equipment for the Indian Armed Forces, including the Stryker armoured vehicle, though the Indian Army is also examining indigenous alternatives.
Talks on the co-production of GE F414 jet engines between HAL and GE are in a crucial stage, with the deal possibly concluding this financial year or in 2026. The delegation is expected to visit a military facility and witness the Republic Day parade on January 26.