Amid US-Russia row, India and America talk co-development of military equipment

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, April 11

Even as India and US remain edgy over the former’s studied silence on taking sides over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the two countries on Monday conducted meetings at the highest levels to discuss ways for closer collaboration between defence industry and co-development of military equipment.

Just ahead of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue between India and the US in Washington DC, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday, had bilateral talks with his counterpart the US Secretary of Defense General Lloyd Austin.

Rajnath Singh underlined the need of co-development, co-production of military equipment between India and US companies and invited US companies to India for manufacturing and maintenance of defence equipment.

The two Defence Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral defence cooperation and the regional security situation. “Both Ministers acknowledged the salience of India-US defence partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and broader Indian Ocean Region,” a statement of the Indian Ministry of Defence said.

India and US discussed ways to deepen Major Defence Partnership (MDP) and to work together to advance quality and scope in bilateral defence cooperation.

Rajnath Sigh and Llyod Austin reviewed Military-to-Military engagements, information sharing, enhanced logistics cooperation, and ability of the Armed Forces to cooperate closely under compatible communication arrangements. “In this context, closer cooperation of Special Operation Forces came up prominently,” the MoD said tonight.

This is the fourth edition of the ‘2+2 dialogue’—the first under the Joe Biden administration. The last 2+2 was conducted in October 2020 during the Presidency of Donald Trump.

The talks come amid the war between Ukraine and Russia which has been going on since February-end.

Rajnath Singh on Monday received an “enhanced honour cordon” at the Pentagon – the Headquarters of the US Department of Defense – for bilateral talks with

The ‘enhanced honour’ is reserved for valued guests and visitors. During normal honour cordon, visitors are greeted at the Pentagon stairs and welcomed with handshakes before proceeding inside the building. During the enhanced honour cordon that Rajnath Singh received, national anthems are played.

Earlier this morning, Rajnath Singh met senior executives of American companies Boeing and Raytheon and asked them to take advantage of policy initiatives in India to steadily march from ‘Make in India’ towards ‘Make for the World’.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

This year’s event will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations and reaffirm the importance of the US-India Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership in ensuring international peace and security. It will reaffirm our shared commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Both countries have a shared interest in the Indo-Pacific for enforcing a rules-based international order that safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholds human rights, and expands regional and global peace and prosperity.