Need to consolidate US-India defence, security and economic partnership

The close partnership has generated tens of thousands of jobs in India and enabled critical transfers of technology and manufacturing expertise to India. Many U.S. companies have established engineering centres and manufacturing hubs and have also invested in building R&D centres that harness India’s incredibly talented scientists and engineers to advance cutting-edge R&D projects

Few areas of U.S.-India relations have seen as much recent progress as the defence relationship. Over the last two decades, the U.S. has become a significant supplier of defence equipment to India, is India’s largest military exercise partner, has taken steps to improve inter-operability and coordination and signed technical agreements to further expand India’s access to high-end American defence technology.

Beyond bilateral cooperation, the United States and India are key partners in ‘The Quad’, an emerging strategic partnership between the governments of India, Japan, Australia and the United States.

The U.S.-India strategic partnership is one of the most consequential relationships. The two are working together in so many ways to ensure a free and open, prosperous, connected and resilient Indo-Pacific region, where our democracies can thrive. As partners, they are working together to address climate change; improve global health and prepare for new pandemics; cooperate on cyber challenges; build quality infrastructure and ensure sustainable supply chains. We’re strengthening our cooperation on critical technologies, from space components to semiconductors.

The close partnership has generated tens of thousands of jobs in India and enabled critical transfers of technology and manufacturing expertise to India. Many U.S. companies have established engineering centres and manufacturing hubs and have also invested in building R&D centres that harness India’s incredibly talented scientists and engineers to advance cutting-edge R&D projects.

“As democracies bookending the Indo-Pacific, the United States and India share a common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. That shared vision is strengthened by world-class events like Aero India where the two countries are able to engage in-person to increase trust and understanding,” points out an official.

The one-year-old U.S-India defence relationship is an important element of that strategy – and our defence partnership is stronger than ever before. At Aero India 2023 American Air power with a variety of aircraft operated alongside the Indian Air Force.

Among the major highlights was the aerial demonstrations by F-16 Fighting Falcon duo, one of the United States Air Force’s (USAF) leading fighter jets. The F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet, the US Navy’s most advanced frontline carrier-based, multi-role strike fighter were available on static display.

Leading US defence companies which exhibited their wares in the USA Partnership Pavilion included Aero Metals Alliance, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), Astronautics Corporation of America, Boeing, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, GE Aerospace, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc, Hi-Tech Import Export Corporation, Jonal Laboratories, Inc., Kallman Worldwide, Inc., Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, TW Metals, LLC and United Performance Metals.

President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi abut the historic agreement for Air India to purchase over 200 American-made aircraft from Boeing. President Biden noted how the sale will support over one million American jobs across 44 states and help Air India meet growing demands for air transportation back home. The two leaders also discussed the importance of the strategic technology partnership between India and the United States, highlighting the recent inaugural launch of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, hosted in Washington two weeks back. They reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-India relationship and committed themselves to continue working together and in groups like the Quad to advance economic growth and expand cooperation on the shared priorities.

According to Indian government sources, regular exchange of high-level political visits has provided sustained momentum to bilateral cooperation, while the wide-ranging and ever-expanding dialogue architecture has established a long-term framework for India-U.S. engagement.

Today, the India-U.S. bilateral cooperation is broad-based and multi-sectoral, covering trade and investment, defence and security, education, science and technology, cyber security, high-technology, civil nuclear energy, space technology and applications, clean energy, environment, agriculture and health. Vibrant people-to-people interaction and support across the political spectrum to nurture the bilateral relationship.

Aggregate worth of defence acquisition from U.S. defence has crossed $ 13 billion. India and the United States have launched a Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) aimed at simplifying technology transfer policies and exploring possibilities of co-development and co-production to invest the defence relationship with strategic value. The DTTI Working Group and its task force will expeditiously evaluate and decide on unique projects and technologies which would have a transformative impact on bilateral defence relations and enhance India's defence industry and military capabilities.