In a significant stride towards bolstering their defence ties, the United States and India are engaged in active discussions regarding the production of military systems, particularly in areas concerning Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and ground-based conventional warfare. Siddharth Iyer, Director for South Asia Policy at the Office of the Secretary of Defence technology shared these developments at an event hosted by the esteemed Hudson Institute.
Mr. Iyer highlighted the ongoing negotiations to establish a reciprocal defence procurement agreement with India, aimed at streamlining the procurement process for defence firms. “We are in active talks with the Indian government to look at producing military systems in areas related to ISR, and then of course ground-based conventional warfare. And we’ll have more to say on that as they become ripe,” he stated.
US-India Collaborations in Defence Technology
Efforts to finalize the security of supply arrangement, which simplifies the procurement procedures for defence companies, are reportedly making significant headway.
Moreover, Mr. Iyer emphasized the urgency and importance attached to this burgeoning relationship by the Pentagon, stating, “Our belief is that getting the US-India relationship right is not just necessary, it’s essential to achieving our strategy in the Indo-Pacific. There’s a broad and deep commitment to making that happen.”
Furthermore, he shed light on the roadmap for India-US defence collaboration. This roadmap identifies key military sectors that demand collaborative efforts, underscores mechanisms for supply chain integration, and establishes oversight mechanisms to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and regulatory obstacles.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Iyer underlined the significance of the GE engine deal, which has garnered considerable attention. He stated, “I think it is a testament to the significance of the deal. Certainly, it’s an arrangement between private companies but the governments had to work extremely closely with each other, with industry, and we had to take a really holistic view about how we think about technology security and what it means to advance our strategic interest and balance tech security and US national security requirements to make this come about.”
The GE engine deal, allowing India access to sensitive jet engine technology, marks a notable milestone in the evolving partnership. Mr. Iyer concluded by expressing optimism about continued progress in various aspects of this burgeoning alliance in the months ahead.
