New Delhi: India and the US have agreed to co-produce armoured infantry autos as a key element of their defence industrial cooperation, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin introduced on Friday. He stated the 2 sides have set an bold agenda to deepen their strategic partnership within the face of China’s rising army aggression. Austin was talking to a choose group of journalists after the ‘2+2’ ministerial dialogue, the place he stated the US is working to expedite the supply of MQ-9B drones to India.
A joint assertion on the ‘2+2’ dialogue stated India and the US are creating new liaison positions to boost communication and collaboration between their armed forces. The 2 nations are additionally finalising a Safety of Provide Association (SOSA) that can combine their defence industrial ecosystems and enhance provide chain resilience, the assertion stated.
“At the moment, we agreed to maneuver ahead with the co-production of armoured infantry autos. We additionally mentioned steps that we will take to strengthen our provide chain safety and combine the availability of products and providers from US and Indian companies,” Austin stated.
He known as the armoured automobile undertaking “extraordinarily vital”.
Austin was accompanied by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, whereas the Indian aspect was led by Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The joint assertion stated the ministers reaffirmed the ‘Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation’ as a catalyst for strengthening India’s capabilities and facilitating technology-sharing.
It stated the ministers welcomed the beginning of negotiations for a industrial settlement between Basic Electrical (GE) Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Restricted (HAL) to fabricate GE F-414 jet engines in India.
India plans to purchase 31 MQ-9B armed drones from the US for over USD three billion to boost its surveillance capabilities alongside the border with China and within the Indian Ocean area.
“Trying forward, the ministers welcomed the progress achieved in direction of co-production and co-development of defence methods, noting their mutual curiosity to co-develop and co-produce floor mobility methods, as they bring about the 2 nations’ respective defence sectors nearer collectively whereas enhancing Indian capabilities,” the assertion stated.
Austin stated each side mentioned the rising safety challenges posed by China.
“We’re working collectively on a variety of issues going ahead. We now have a standard aim, a standard view of the Indo-Pacific, and that’s that the Indo-Pacific ought to stay free and open and that we must always have the ability to sail within the worldwide seas and fly worldwide airspace,” he stated.
He additionally stated the US-India relationship is not only based mostly on China or the problem that China presents.
“It’s based mostly upon, once more, shared values…We now have talked about a variety of issues to incorporate not solely army cooperation, however scientific cooperation, area cooperation, and people sorts of issues,” he stated.
“We’re stepping up US-Indian defence actions throughout a number of domains from area to undersea. And we’re figuring out new areas the place we will work collectively to assist one another’s logistical wants. And we’re making our workout routines more and more complicated and lifelike,” he stated.
The joint assertion stated the ministers praised the continuing advances in interoperability, noting that India and the US are organising new liaison positions to facilitate seamless communication and cooperation between their armed forces.
“The ministers welcomed India’s full membership of the multinational Mixed Maritime Forces (CMF), headquartered in Bahrain,” it stated.
It stated the ministers welcomed additional discussions to maximise the shared advantages of the Logistics and Alternate Memorandum Settlement (LEMOA) and establish reciprocal steps.
