In a step that is sure to enhance New Delhi’s defense manufacturing aspirations, India and the United States have established a plan for collaboration in the defense sector for the next several years, the Indian government said today.
Strengthening military-to-military and technological relations with the South Asian country is seen by Washington as a critical counterweight to China’s supremacy in the area.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, to finalize the road map during Austin’s stop in India.
This deal comes only a few weeks before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States on June 22, during which he will meet with President Joe Biden.
According to the Indian Defense Ministry release, Singh and Austin’s discussions centered on “identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation.”
“Both sides will identify opportunities for co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defense start-up ecosystems of the two countries,” it said.
They agreed on a plan for future defense industry collaboration between the United States and India to help achieve these goals.
India is the largest importer of armaments in the world. While Russia remains a major supplier, the country has broadened its sourcing to include the United States, France, and Israel.
In addition, New Delhi seeks collaboration from foreign defense firms interested in manufacturing weaponry and military equipment in India for domestic use and export. “— Reuters
