To enhance the defence cooperation and the sharing of critical information between India and the USA, three Indian defence liaison officers will be posted under US military commands as per an agreement signed between US President Joe Biden and PM Narendra Modi.
The US and India advanced steps to operationalise tools that will allow both countries to increase defence cooperation, the White House said on June 22, 2023, following talks between the two heads of state.
The move comes following a series of crucial defence deals, including an unprecedented deal on co-producing jet engines and a deal aimed at accelerating and streamlining the review and sales of foreign military production and exports under the Arms Export Control Act. It includes a lucrative drone deal for the top-notched armed MQ-9 Predator Drone/Reaper Drone.
The two countries have also resolved to strengthen undersea domain awareness cooperation. The agreement to place the three Indian Liaison officers in the US Commands is a symbol of deepening partnership and critical information sharing.
US And India have also commenced negotiations for a security of supply arrangement that will enable the supply of defence goods in the event of unanticipated supply chain disruptions, the White House said.
The finalisation of a Defence Industrial Roadmap that provides policy direction to defence industries and enables the co-production of advanced defence systems as well as collaborative research, testing and prototype of technologies that will determine the future of military power.
In a joint statement after the talks, President Biden and PM Modi appreciated the strong military-to-military ties, mutual logistic support and efforts to streamline the implementation of foundational agreements.
“They noted that the information sharing and placement of liaison officers in each other’s military organisation will spur joint service cooperation They also reiterated their resolve to embolden their maritime security cooperation even in underwater domain awareness,” the joint statement said.
“Both sides are committed to addressing any regulatory barriers to defence industrial cooperation. The leaders noted the decision of India’s MoD (Ministry of Defence) and the US Department of Defence to commence negotiations for concluding a security of supply arrangement and initiate discussions about reciprocal defence procurement agreement,” the statement said.
Joe Biden and PM Narendra Modi also welcomed India’s emergence as a hub of maintenance and emergent repair, As envisaged in the Defence Industrial roadmap, both countries agreed to work together for the creation of logistics, repair and maintenance infrastructures for aircraft and vessels in India, the statement read.
According to a White House Fact Sheet, the US Navy has concluded a mastership repair agreement with Larsen and Toubro (L&T) shipyard in Kottapuli in Chennai. It is finalising agreements with Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai and Goa Shipyard.
Apart from the US, Indian Navy has posted many of its liaison officers in Mauritius, Abu Dhabi, and Madagascar, Comoros, La Reunion, Seychelles for spreading and proliferating maritime domain awareness purposes. Similarly, many developed and developing nations of the world have posted their liaison naval officers in India, most notably Australia, Britain
Over the last two decades, the US has become a significant supplier of defence equipment to India and has become India’s largest military exercise partner. The India-US defence cooperation has been severely magnified and increased manifold ever since the formal relations were established between the two countries.
The United States of America, along with Russia, France, and Israel, are the core allies of the Indian nation
India has procured highly advanced weapon platforms from the US, such as Apache Helicopter, Chinook helicopter, the Hercules transport aircraft, and C-17 Globemaster heavy-duty transport aircraft. The Indian Army has acquired M-777 Howitzers, and the Indian Navy has procured Poseidon Surveillance Aircraft from the United States of America.
