India and the US held productive talks to enhance defense industrial cooperation and operationalize their ‘Major Defense Partnership’ ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Washington.
The 17th meeting of the India-US Defense Policy Group (DPG) focused on boosting collaboration in military platforms’ co-development, critical technology sharing, and long-term research. The discussions, co-chaired by Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane and US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl, also addressed military-to-military cooperation, defense agreements’ implementation, and cooperative activities in the Indian Ocean Region.
The meeting emphasized defense industrial cooperation, including technology partnerships, research and development, and supply chain security. Both sides expressed support for co-development and co-production opportunities, fostering innovation ecosystems, and promoting defense startups.
The DPG serves as the key official-level mechanism for bilateral defense cooperation, covering various aspects with a policy focus. The defense ties between India and the US have been strengthening through agreements such as LEMOA, COMCASA, and BECA, enabling greater interoperability and technology sharing.