Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump on December 19 signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, a sweeping defence measure that, among other things, explicitly calls for expanded US military engagement with India and deeper cooperation through the Quad as part of Washington’s Indo-Pacific policy.
The law authorizes $890 billion in national security spending. It directs the United States to broaden engagement with India, including through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region. In his signing statement, Trump said the Act “will enable the Department of War to carry out my Peace Through Strength agenda, protect the homeland from domestic and foreign threats, and strengthen the defence industrial base,” while codifying aspects of more than a dozen executive actions taken by his administration.
The legislation calls for expanded bilateral and multilateral military engagements with India, increased participation in military exercises, increased defence trade, and closer cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster response. It also identifies maritime security as a specific area for deeper US-India cooperation.
The NDAA further mandates a joint US-India assessment on nuclear liability rules under the United StatesIndia Strategic Security Dialogue. It directs the Secretary of State to establish a recurring consultative mechanism with India to assess implementation of the 2008 civil nuclear agreement, discuss opportunities for India to align domestic nuclear liability rules with international norms, and develop joint diplomatic strategies related to civil nuclear cooperation. The State Department is required to report to Congress within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter for five years.
The Act requires US assessments that include Russia’s military cooperation with India and Russia’s broader military posture affecting the Indo-Pacific and other regions. Separately, the NDAA authorises the establishment of an Ambassadorat-Large for the Indian Ocean Region within the State Department. The position would coordinate US diplomatic efforts across Indian Ocean countries and focus on countering malign influence by the People’s Republic of China in the region.