Washington: Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a US tour, has held bilateral talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington DC on many important issues. During this, discussions were held between India and America on defense, industrial cooperation and regional security. Along with this, extensive discussions were held on many other international issues. Rajnath Singh highlighted various co-development and co-production opportunities in India in the areas identified in the India-US Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, which was adopted last year.
During this, both the ministers expressed happiness over the conclusion of the Security Supply Arrangement (SOSA) between India and the US. The SOSA signed a day earlier in Washington DC encourages the defense industrial ecosystem of the two countries to work together and the supply increases its flexibility. They also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between India and the US regarding the deployment of liaison officers. Accordingly, India announced the deployment of the first liaison officer at the Headquarters Special Operations Command in Florida, USA.
India’s big decision from Indo-Pacific to maritime security
The Indian Defense Minister resolved to strengthen maritime security during his visit. Both the ministers appreciated the progress made in operationalizing the Quad initiative, Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness, and India’s ongoing efforts to enhance maritime domain awareness for partners in the Indian Ocean region. They welcomed the ongoing Indian participation in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and noted that India will deploy Indian Navy personnel in 150 headquarters of the CMF’s Joint Task Force in 2025.
The Defense Minister and Secretary Austin appreciated the efforts of the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) for establishing a defense innovation bridge between the two countries. They praised Indus-X for establishing a strong network between start-ups, industry, academia and governments, accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, and enhancing the war-fighting capabilities of both sides. Several major announcements will be made at the upcoming INDUS X Silicon Valley Summit in September 2024. Rajnath Singh paid floral tribute at Arlington National Cemetery before the meeting at the Pentagon. The Defence Minister and the US Defence Secretary look forward to meeting again at the next India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
