Jumpstarting the next phase of U.S.-India defence ties
There has be incredible momentum in the India-U.S. defence ties, driven primarily by their defence relationship.
Jumpstarting the next phase of U.S.-India defence ties
Over the last few years, there has be incredible momentum in the India-U.S. defence ties, driven primarily by their defence relationship.
• A recent visit by U.S. Defence Secretary secured an agreement on a road map for defence industrial cooperation, announced as a part of the iCET (U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology). The road map envisages boosting defence manufacturing in India through greater technological cooperation. It will complement India's self-reliance mission and its desire to lessen import dependence.
The above objective stands on two legs: technological innovation and growing military cooperation. It will expedite co-development and co-production initiatives, fostering stronger connections between the two countries.
• A new initiative, Indus-X, was also launched to provide new impetus to defence innovation engagement. This builds on a 2022 space agreement that promises to enhance information sharing and cooperation in the space sector.
India's Major Defence Partner (MDP) status allows the sharing of sensitive technologies without India having to become an ally.
• The U.S.-India partnership is the cornerstone of their engagement in the Indo-Pacific. The broad aspects in the region include coercive actions by China; the aggressive actions of Russia towards Ukraine undermining national sovereignty; transnational issues such as terrorism and climate change.
• Beyond the Indo-Pacific, another important aspect is the existing scale of American investments in India.
In the long run, this could lead to atleast three dominant trends under the umbrella of bilateral cooperation: nurturing and growth of an ecosystem of joint ventures between companies; the U.S. incrementally gaining a larger share in Indian defence manufacturing, and both sides ironing out existing impediments in co-development.
These are likely to be supplemented by linking defence start-ups through an 'innovation bridge' that was announced in the iCET agreement.