- Appreciated INDUS-X establishing robust networks across start-ups, industry, academia, and governments
- Lauded the joint role in Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness
By Sangeeta Saxena
New Delhi. 24 August 2024. In a significant meeting held at the Pentagon, Washington DC, on August 23, 2024, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, discussed enhancing bilateral defense cooperation, industrial collaboration, and regional security. The meeting underscored the growing strategic partnership between the United States and India, focusing on co-development, co-production, and the advancement of defense technology initiatives.
“We share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and our defense cooperation continues to grow stronger and stronger,” Llyod Austin said. “We’re expanding our defense industrial ties and working to coproduce more capabilities and strengthen supply chain resilience.”
During the meeting, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made on several key defense initiatives. They welcomed the recent conclusion of the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) between India and the US, which aims to enhance the resilience of defense supply chains and encourage collaboration between the defense industrial ecosystems of both countries. The SOSA, signed a day prior in Washington DC, represents a critical step in strengthening the US-India Major Defense Partner relationship.
Rajnath Singh highlighted the potential for co-development and co-production opportunities in India, as outlined in the India-US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap adopted last year. He emphasized India’s commitment to working closely with the US to enhance defense manufacturing capabilities and increase the resilience of supply chains.
“India and the US enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership, covering almost all areas of human endeavor. This is driven by shared democratic value, convergence of interest on a range of issues and vibrant people-to-people contact. I can see our bilateral relationship has also seen a growing convergence of strategic interest and enhanced defense security and industrial cooperation,” Rajnath Singh stated.
Both ministers also discussed the deployment of Liaison Officers between the two countries, following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement. This initiative will see India deploying its first Liaison Officer to the Headquarters Special Operations Command in Florida, USA. The deployment is expected to strengthen operational coordination and foster closer ties between the two defense establishments.
The leaders commended the progress made in operationalizing the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness initiative, a Quad-led effort aimed at enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. They also recognized India’s continued participation in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and welcomed the Indian Navy’s future leadership role in Combined Task Force 150, starting in 2025.
Further emphasizing the importance of innovation in defense, Rajnath Singh and Lloyd Austin praised the efforts of the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X). This initiative has successfully built strong networks across start-ups, industry, academia, and governments, accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. The upcoming INDUS-X Silicon Valley Summit in September 2024 is anticipated to announce several new initiatives that will further enhance defense cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue strengthening the US-India defense partnership. Both leaders looked forward to their next engagement at the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, which will further advance their shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
This interaction marked a significant step forward in the US-India defense relationship. With discussions spanning from co-production projects to regional security initiatives, the talks reaffirmed the commitment of both nations to deepen their strategic partnership. The conclusion of the Security of Supply Arrangement and plans for the deployment of Liaison Officers highlight the ongoing efforts to enhance defense cooperation and ensure the resilience of supply chains. As the two countries continue to build on their shared interests, the US-India defense partnership is set to grow even stronger.
As the financial bank Morgan Stanley put it, before to 2014, India was one of the “Fragile Five” countries; today, however, it is one of the world’s “Fabulous Five” economies, according to Rajnath Singh. He referenced a recent estimate from the firm predicting that by 2027, India’s economy will rank third. He emphasised that, in contrast to other nations, the Indian economy was not adversely affected by the government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
