Washington, March 3 : The United States is sending two senior officials to India this week, signalling the importance Washington attaches to New Delhi at a time of rising tensions in West Asia.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to New Delhi from March 3 to 6. He will lead the US delegation to the 2026 Raisina Dialogue, described by the State Department as â??Indiaâ??s premier geopolitical forum.â??

The Department said Landau will advance â??President Trumpâ??s America First policy prioritiesâ?? during the visit.

He is scheduled to meet senior Indian officials. The talks will cover â??bilateral cooperation on defense, critical minerals, and counternarcotics.â?? The two sides will also seek to â??deepen commercial and economic ties to increase market access for American businessesâ?? and â??advance our shared vision for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.â??

The visit comes â??against the backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia,â?? the statement said, placing the India outreach in a wider regional context.

In parallel, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S. Paul Kapur is in New Delhi from March 1 to 3.

According to the US Embassy, Kapur is meeting Indian officials to discuss â??regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific.â?? The embassy said his visit â??builds upon recent momentum to advance President Trumpâ??s vision for a robust and mutually beneficial US-India partnership.â??

The Raisina Dialogue has become Indiaâ??s flagship strategic forum. It draws global leaders, ministers, and security experts each year. A high-level US presence underlines Indiaâ??s growing weight in Washingtonâ??s Indo-Pacific calculations.

Over the past decade, India and the United States have expanded defence and strategic cooperation. They have signed key agreements and stepped up coordination in the Indo-Pacific. Cooperation has also widened to include critical minerals, emerging technologies, and energy security, areas that are likely to feature prominently in this weekâ??s talks in New Delhi.

/IANS