India-US To Strengthen Their Defense Cooperation

With the Indian Prime Minister planning to visit the US state, India and US defense cooperation have attained a mutual agreement.   

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the United States next month, with a common agenda to enhance industrial cooperation and operationalize India-US major defense partnership. India is currently shifting its focus toward GE-414 engines to power AJT Tejas MK-2 for preparing the ground for a possible breakthrough in the joint production of core technologies. High-level representatives from both governments are already taking part in meetings to address the concerns regarding the same.

As a part of these talks, Indian Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane and the US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Dr. Colin Kahl co-chaired the 17th meeting of the Defense Policy Group (DPG) in Washington to review the progressions in the defense-industrial cooperation, in addition to the operationalization of India-US Major Partnership. The Ministry of Defense has also underlined the implementation of foundational defense agreements. The US government is clearing deals from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), for announcements that will likely be made in Modi’s official tour to the US. 

The Ministry of Defense has also addressed critical aspects like military-to-military cooperation, exercises, and the ongoing and future cooperative activities in the Indian Ocean Region during the DPG interaction. The DPG is typically an apex official-level mechanism between the Ministry of Defense, India, and the US Department of Defense.

The Ministry of Defense quoted that both nations are elevating their focus to enhance defense-industrial cooperation in technology partnership, long-term research and development, and improvised supply chain security. The Chief of the Defense Staff, General Anil Chauhan, also participated in the Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue held in California.