New Delhi: India and the United States Monday decided to launch negotiations for two crucial agreements related to the Security of Supply Arrangement and a Reciprocal Defense Procurement in an effort to establish stable supply chains of arms and equipment. This was decided during a meeting between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. Austin on a two-day visit to India, came to New Delhi from Singapore as part of his seventh official visit to the Indo-Pacific region.
“The Secretary and Minister Singh also pledged to review regulatory hurdles impeding closer industry-to-industry cooperation and to initiate negotiations on a Security of Supply Arrangement and a Reciprocal Defense Procurement agreement, which will promote long-term supply chain stability,” said a readout by the US Department of Defense.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Defence said both sides discussed a substantial range of bilateral defence cooperation issues, with a particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation.
During the bilateral talks between Singh and Austin, both countries were able to conclude a roadmap for US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation which “shall guide the policy direction for the next few years.”
Defence Minister Singh said in a tweet, “Delighted to meet my friend, @SecDef Austin in New Delhi. Our talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation.”
He added, “India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership.”
Singh was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, Chairman Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Samir V. Kamat and Vani Rao, Joint Secretary (Americas), Ministry of External Affairs.
During the talks both sides vowed to fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat and land mobility systems; intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, munitions and the undersea domain.
“This initiative aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between US and Indian defense sectors, including a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support India’s defense modernization plans,” the US readout said.
Austin was accompanied by the new US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, who had also received him upon his arrival to India.
The Pentagon also said that Austin and Singh also committed to strengthen operational collaboration across all military services, “with an eye to supporting India’s leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific.”
“They discussed new opportunities to strengthen information sharing and increase cooperation in the maritime domain. On this note, Secretary Austin welcomed India’s leadership role in the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative (IPMDA), which will provide cutting-edge domain awareness capability to countries across the Indo-Pacific region,” it noted.
“Great to meet again with my friend @rajnathsingh and thank him for his unwavering commitment to U.S.-India defense relations. His leadership has helped paved the way for deeper collaboration, joint exercises, and technology sharing between our two countries,” tweeted Austin.
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According to official sources, during the visit US and India also discussed the issue of growing Chinese military belligerence. This took place during Austin’s meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, whom he met before departing for France.
“In his meeting with National Security Advisor Doval, the Secretary exchanged views about regional and global security issues of concern, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. The Secretary welcomed Mr Doval’s perspective about shared security interests and objectives, including his ideas for greater maritime collaboration,” said the US.
The Defence Ministry said, both sides “discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region” and also took note of the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on Defence Artificial Intelligence and Defence Space.
On May 22, 2023, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Vipin Narang and Director Michael Horowitz of the Emerging Capabilities Policy Office met with their Indian counterparts for the inaugural U.S.-India Advanced Domains Defense Dialogue (AD3) in New Delhi.
This was aimed at deepening ties on new and evolving defence domains focussed on space and artificial intelligence.
Austin’s visit paved the way for a greater defence collaboration, including big-ticket defence deals such as the production of F414 fighter jet engines in India by Ohio-based GE Aerospace under ‘Make in India’ and procurement of 30 MQ-9B armed drones from General Atomics.
These deals are likely to be announced during the first-ever state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US later this month, including a state dinner with US President Joe Biden on June 22.