The United States and India are actively engaging in discussions to enhance defense cooperation, including the potential joint production of military systems.

FREMONT, CA: Indian-American Siddharth Iyer, the director for South Asia Policy, has given confirmation that the United States is in active talks with the Indian government to look at producing military systems in regions related to ISR and ground-based conventional warfare. Various initiatives are underway to establish a mutual defense procurement agreement with India.

Iyer assured that the talks between the duo would likely finalize the security of supply management, streamlining the ability of defense firms to procure their requirements. Both nations are moving at an aggressive clip to establish a reciprocal defense procurement to allow and create the conditions for the US and Indian defense industries to upscale and streamline market access. This diplomatic relationship has been one of the top priorities for the Pentagon.

Ensuring a strengthened India-US relationship is highly crucial to achieving a combined strategy in the Indo-Pacific. It involves a broad and deep commitment to one another. Iyer also remarked on Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s keen commitment to accelerating India’s military modernization by putting the department on the hook to find targeted opportunities to advance India’s indigenous defense production capabilities. The India-US defense roadmap identifies the priority military areas where industries ought to shift their focus on collaborative efforts.

The approach identifies various concrete mechanisms by which India and the US can collaborate to integrate the supply chains. It also establishes the oversight mechanism to ensure that bureaucratic logjams and regulatory barriers no longer impede progression.

Comparing the concrete initiatives, the GE engine deal has attracted increased attention in the press. This, in turn, serves as a testament, highlighting the significance of the deal. The agreement is a clear arrangement between private companies, but governments of both nations are working closely with each other on technology security concerns. It aims to advance private companies' strategic interests and balance both countries' tech and national security requirements. The deal enables access to India for jet engine technology, the most sensitive military technology available to the US.