Jumpstarting the next phase of U.S.-India defence ties

Source- The post is based on the article “Jumpstarting the next phase of U.S.-India defence ties” published in “The Hindu” on 16th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Bilateral groupings and agreements

Relevance– Issues related to India and US bilateral relationship

News- United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin travelled to India from June 4-5 to reinforce the major defence partnership and advance cooperation in critical domains.

What are key takeaways from the visit?

There was an agreement on a road map for defence industrial cooperation. It was announced as part of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) agreement announced in May 2022.

The road map envisages boosting defence manufacturing in India through greater technological cooperation. it potentially repositions the U.S. in the broader context of the U.S.-India strategic relationship.

A road map to promote collaboration in the defence industry was unveiled. The road map aims to expedite crucial co-development and co-production initiatives.

There was the launch of a new initiative, Indus-X. This builds on the U.S.-India bilateral Space Situational Awareness arrangement signed in 2022, which promises to enhance information-sharing and cooperation in the space sector.

New areas in defence space exchanges have been identified based on the cooperation between the U.S. Space Command and India’s Defence Space Agency.

Why is the defence partnership between India and the US important in the context of Indo-pacific?

During the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in April 2022, the U.S. Defence Secretary referred to the U.S.-India defence partnership as the cornerstone of their engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

The combined threat assessments by India and the U.S. in the region point to China as a common and most conspicuous challenge.

China’s Military Power Report 2022 brought out by the U.S. states that the People’s Liberation Army Navy is the world’s largest navy by number of ships. The subsurface presence of China is likely to increase in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Why is industrial cooperation in the defence sector important for bilateral relationships?

A strong rationale for broader industrial cooperation between Indian and U.S. companies in the defence sector is the existing scale of American investments in India. The U.S. government is exhorting its companies to support India’s defence modernisation.

In the long run, this could lead to growth of an ecosystem of joint ventures between companies. The U.S. can gain a larger share in the Indian defence manufacturing. Co-development and co-production by both will be achieved.

American companies led by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Honeywell Aerospace, Raytheon, are partnering with Indian companies in the defence sector.

These are likely to be supplemented by linking defence start-ups from both countries through an ‘innovation bridge’ that was announced in the iCET agreement.