US Ambassador Sergio Gor, Admiral Paparo Visit Indian Army's Western Command HQ

Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 13:14 IST

US Ambassador and INDOPACOM Commander visited Indian Army's Western Command HQ and held talks with Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar.

A high-level American delegation visited the Indian Army’s Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir, near Chandigarh, on Monday, in a significant step toward strengthening defence ties between India and the United States.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), held detailed talks with Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Command. Discussions centred on strategic security dynamics along India’s western frontier, which covers Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir.

The visiting delegation received a full briefing on the command’s operational readiness, its institutional history, and the execution of Operation Sindoor. The American officials were also briefed on the Indian Army’s broader contributions to nation-building and regional stability.

“Our joint efforts are key to a safe Indo-Pacific. The US-India defence partnership continues to grow stronger," Ambassador Gor wrote in a post on X, thanking Lt Gen Katiyar for the welcome extended to the delegation.

The Western Command, headquartered in Chandimandir in Haryana’s Panchkula district, is primarily responsible for safeguarding India’s western borders, particularly along the frontier with Pakistan. It is rare for a US ambassador to tour such a command headquarters.

Briefings during the visit covered contemporary security challenges along the western front, including cross-border infiltration, terror threats, and the growing use of drones for surveillance and smuggling. The discussions also touched on intelligence sharing and battlefield technology as tools to counter emerging asymmetric threats.

A day before the visit, Admiral Paparo described the India-US defence relationship as being on a “steeply-upward trajectory." Speaking with reporters in New Delhi, he said both countries share a convergence of interests and are focused on expanding military ties, particularly in the maritime domain.

The visit comes as both countries advance cooperation under a ten-year India-US Defence Framework Agreement. The agreement moves beyond arms procurement and covers joint technology development, co-production, and military interoperability. Recent engagements between defence science bodies of both nations have focused on advanced systems and surveillance technologies.

The Western Command briefing also highlighted the Indian Army’s non-combat roles, which include disaster response, border infrastructure development, and community outreach, all considered essential to long-term regional stability. Both governments have described the relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership built on shared security interests across the Indo-Pacific region.

Following the Chandimandir stop, both Admiral Paparo and Ambassador Gor were scheduled to travel to Bengaluru.

News world US Ambassador Sergio Gor, Admiral Paparo Visit Indian Army's Western Command HQ

Read More