India and US to enhance collaboration and exchange expertise, says Rajnath Singh

PTC News Desk: India and the United States are keen to collaborate and exchange insights, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to a leading American naval surface warfare facility in Maryland on Saturday.

Singh, currently on a four-day official visit to the United States aimed at strengthening the comprehensive global strategic partnership between the two nations, shared his experiences on social media platform X, stating, “Visited the Naval Surface Warfare Centre at Carderock and witnessed groundbreaking experiments at the facility.”

"India and the US look forward to working together and benefiting from each other’s experiences," Singh added after visiting the American naval facility.

During his visit, Singh also met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, according to a report from news agency PTI.

In their meeting, Lloyd Austin praised the growing momentum in US-India relations, highlighting increased cooperation on defense matters, including efforts to bolster critical supply chains and enhance interoperability between the two militaries.

"We share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and our defense cooperation continues to grow stronger," Austin remarked. "We are expanding our defense industrial ties, working to co-produce more capabilities, and enhancing supply chain resilience."

Austin also noted the increased operational cooperation across all domains, citing India's participation in the recent Rim of the Pacific exercise, a large-scale naval exercise led by the US Navy in Hawaii involving 29 partner nations. He emphasized the role of the Indian Navy as a key security provider in the Indian Ocean, noting, "Indian sailors have assisted mariners in distress and defended global commerce. We are committed to deepening our naval cooperation, enhancing our joint work with unmanned technology, and strengthening undersea domain awareness."

Singh pointed out that the expanding cooperation between the two nations covers "all areas of human endeavor." He emphasized the strong people-to-people ties, shared democratic values, and aligned interests on various issues between the US and India.

The meeting between Austin and Singh followed the finalization of an agreement aimed at addressing unexpected supply chain challenges to meet national security needs. Under the non-binding "security of supply" arrangement, both countries agreed to prioritize support for goods and services that promote national defense.

"This security of supply arrangement represents a pivotal moment in the US-India major defense partner relationship and will be a key factor in strengthening the US-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative," said Vic Ramdass, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy.

Also Read: Telangana man and colleague die in Saudi Arabian desert after losing GPS signal

Ramdass added, "I look forward to [the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment] hosting the next US-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative meeting this fall to deepen cooperation between our respective defense industrial bases and pursue bilateral co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment initiatives."

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to India of Anti-Submarine Warfare Sonobuoys and related equipment, estimated at USD 52.8 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this potential sale.

The Government of India has requested to purchase AN/SSQ-53G High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys, technical publications and data documentation, US government and contractor engineering and technical support, and other related logistics and program services, according to the agency.

Also Read: CBI conducts raids at former principal's residence in Kolkata hospital corruption investigation

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by strengthening the US-India strategic relationship. It will enhance the security of a major defense partner, contributing to political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions.

The sale is intended to bolster India’s ability to address current and future threats by enhancing its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, particularly in operations conducted from its MH-60R helicopters. The integration of this equipment into India's armed forces is expected to be seamless.

The proposed sale will not disrupt the military balance in the region. The principal contractors will be Sparton Corporation, based in De Leon Springs, FL, and Undersea Sensor Systems Inc. (USSI), located in Columbia City, or a combination of both.

There are no offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, and the implementation of this sale will not require additional US government or contractor representatives to be stationed in India. Additionally, there will be no adverse impact on US defense readiness, the statement concluded.

Also Read: Hezbollah launches major offensive; Israel responds with pre-emptive strikes