WASHINGTON: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state go to to the USA, officers of each international locations have intensified their discussions on co-producing jet engines, long-range artillery and infantry autos below the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan launched iCET earlier this 12 months.
It was finished on the course of US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who after their Tokyo assembly in May 2022 had introduced to raise and increase the strategic expertise partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, companies and educational establishments of the 2 international locations.
At a gathering with Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane on the Pentagon, US Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks termed the proposals to co-produce jet engines, long-range artillery and infantry autos below iCET “unprecedented opportunities” to strengthen ties between the defence sectors of the 2 nations.
The two officers mentioned priorities for strengthening the US-India defence partnership, together with rising defence industrial cooperation and operational collaboration, Pentagon spokesperson Eric Pahon mentioned. Hicks underscored the significance of the US-India relationship as vital for selling peace and prosperity within the Indo-Pacific and past. She additionally reiterated the significance of deepening military-to-military relations between the 2 nations because the expertise partnership grows, Pahon added.
Reiterating the US’s assist for India’s defence modernisation targets, together with rising investments in Indian home manufacturing, Hicks and Aramane welcomed the upcoming launch of INDUS-X forward of PM Modi’s go to to the United States in June. They additionally highlighted its worth as a possibility to advertise partnerships between the 2 international locations’ defence innovation ecosystems.
A day earlier, the 2 officers co-chaired the seventeenth US-India Defense Policy Group assembly. The dialogue superior an formidable agenda — together with industrial cooperation, information-sharing, maritime safety, and technological collaboration — that displays the sturdy and complete defence ties between the United States and India, mentioned US Department of Defense spokesperson Lt Col David Herndon.
“The officials exchanged views about shared priorities in the Indian Ocean Region and aligning the US-India partnership with other like-minded partnerships to sustain a free and open Indo-Pacific. “The leaders strengthened their dedication to strengthening cooperation and interoperability between the US and Indian militaries to work collectively in all domains and throughout all providers,” the spokesperson added.
