"‘America First is Not America Alone’: Tulsi Gabbard Advocates Stronger US-India Ties at Raisina Dialogue"
US intelligence chief Gabbard described her visit to India as "constructive few days engaging with Indian counterparts, working to continue to build off of the momentum that was created by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi's joint statement"
Visiting US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Tuesday that she was looking to build on the strong security partnership with India, including cyber security, emerging tech and Artificial Intelligence.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, a conference organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, Gabbard said she met her Indian counterparts and heard “directly from them about the very serious concerns that you have here of your own security interests”, and underlined that “America first is not America alone”.
She said they are also looking for opportunities where they can “build off of what is already a very strong partnership that has gone on for quite some time and again, take advantage of the new administration to pick up that momentum and find those other opportunities”.
“From an intelligence sharing standpoint, knowing that in our role, our ability is to make sure that we are providing the best timely and relevant intelligence reporting to our leadership so that they can make the best informed decisions, but obviously strengthening our security partnership, our economic partnership that President (Donald) Trump and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi really laid out in their compact statement when Prime Minister Modi was in Washington, DC,” she said.
“There’s huge opportunity for continued growth and continued investment in our mutual interests,” Gabbard added.
Asked by ORF president Samir Saran whether that included a focus on emerging technologies and the frontier tech areas, she responded, “Absolutely, it’s impossible to have a conversation about both the challenges and opportunities we face without focusing on the very quickly evolving cyber security needs, the vulnerabilities that exist, and the need to maximise emerging tech and AI and other capabilities to strengthen our security interests.”
Articulating Trump’s vision, she said, “In the United States, President Trump remains unwavering in his commitment to achieving peace through a strategy rooted in realism, pragmatism, securing peace through strength, which he speaks of very often, requires strong leadership with a clear-eyed and realistic understanding of the global challenges that exist as well as the opportunities.”
Obliquely referring to Trump’s approach towards the Russia-Ukraine war or the war in Gaza, she said, “It requires a commitment to fostering cultural and economic ties that reduce the likelihood of an escalation to conflict and a dedication towards reinforcing our mutual interests, it requires leaders have the courage to engage directly with both friends and adversaries alike, to increase understanding, to resolve differences, and to work to prevent an escalation to conflict.”
“It requires leaders who are not afraid to speak an inconvenient or unpopular truth tough questions, who challenge the established view or, the way things have always been done, to spark what may be hard but necessary conversations about the realities we face and the best way forward to advance our mutual cause of peace, freedom, security and prosperity,” Gabbard stated.
And, then she drew a parallel, “So just as President Trump is committed to America first, putting the safety, security and freedom of the American people at the forefront of his policies and his decisions, Prime Minister Modi is committed to India first… This is the expectation of any leader’s commitment to their people, to serve them, to put their interests at the forefront of their decisions. But this should not be misunderstood to mean that America First is America alone.”
“The relationships that we build together are critical to advance our mutual interests, and it’s why gatherings like this here at Raisina (Dialogue) are so important, because it brings us together here over 120 countries around the world, providing us a platform where heads of state, ministers, directors, leaders in business, nonprofits and strategic think tanks can actually come together in that spirit of aloha for robust dialog and debate that will help us increase our understanding one another,” she added.
“It is our shared values that will continue to shape the future of our partnerships, and while we represent our own sovereign nations with unique perspectives and unique by working together, honestly, transparently and strategically, we can ensure a more peaceful, free, prosperous future for our people worldwide,” she said.
Gabbard described her visit to India, “It’s been a constructive few days where I’ve been engaging with our Indian counterparts, working to continue to build off of the momentum that was created by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi’s joint statement issued in Washington, DC after their Oval Office meeting. The partnership between our two countries has been strong for decades, and under the Leadership of great leaders and true great friends.”
And, she also highlighted her commitment to the Indo-Pacific, saying, “I’ve spent a lot of time throughout my life, traveling throughout the Indo-Pacific and working in many different countries. So I’m very familiar with the rich and beautiful cultures, the kindness and hospitality that I’ve experienced everywhere I’ve gone, and the rich history within each country, that leads to a better understanding of the nuance and complexities that exist within these countries, but also within the relationships in the region.”
“It’s a vast and critical region that’s not just a geographic space. It is the geopolitical center of gravity for the 21st century. So ensuring peace and stability here is essential to our collective security, our objective of economic prosperity, and our ability to work together, to take on the great challenges of time, and we must tackle these challenges together. Our ability to do so as nations, as leaders, as people, is critical towards achieving our collective goals,” Gabbard stated.
“Unfortunately, we live in a time where war and conflict is being waged on many fronts around the world,” she said.
On Monday, Gabbard met PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Glad to welcome @TulsiGabbard to India. Exchanged views on further advancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Both countries are committed to combating terrorism and enhancing maritime and cyber security cooperation.”
The discussions assume significance since Gabbard also attended the conference of intelligence chiefs on Sunday, hosted by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Research & Analysis Wing chief Ravi Sinha and Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka.
It was also attended by Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) chief Daniel Rogers, UK’s National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell and New Zealand’s intelligence chief Andrew Hampton.
