India And US Strengthen Defence Ties With SOSA And New Agreements During Pentagon Meeting

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin have expressed satisfaction with the conclusion of the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA), which fosters collaboration between the defence industrial ecosystems of both nations and enhances supply chain resilience.

On Friday, Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Their discussions covered a broad range of topics, including bilateral defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, regional security, and other international issues.

In his opening remarks, Rajnath Singh highlighted the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US, which spans almost all areas of human endeavour. He noted the increasing alignment of strategic interests and the growing defence, security, and industrial cooperation between the two countries.

“Our leaders share a strong rapport and collaborate on various global issues, in addition to the expanding bilateral relationship. Regular high-level interactions have included PM Modi’s state visit to the US in June, where he addressed a joint session of Congress, and President Biden’s visit to India for the G20 summit in September 2023. PM Modi also met President Biden at the G7 summit in Italy,” Singh said.

Singh emphasized the co-development and co-production opportunities in India identified in the India-US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, adopted last year.

Both ministers expressed their pleasure at the signing of the SOSA, which took place in Washington, DC, and encourages joint efforts between the defence industrial sectors of both nations while bolstering supply chain resilience. Additionally, they welcomed the Memorandum of Agreement on the Deployment of Liaison Officers, with India set to deploy its first Liaison Officer to the Headquarters Special Operations Command in Florida, US.

The ministers praised the progress in operationalising the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness, a Quad initiative, and acknowledged India’s ongoing efforts to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indian Ocean Region. They also supported India’s participation in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and noted that Indian Navy personnel will join CMF’s Combined Task Force 150 headquarters in 2025.

Singh and Austin commended the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) for establishing the Defence Innovation bridge, creating strong networks across start-ups, industry, academia, and governments, which accelerates the adoption of advanced technologies and enhances war-fighting capabilities.

The upcoming INDUS-X Silicon Valley Summit in September 2024 is expected to unveil several key initiatives.

The meeting at the Pentagon began with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony by Rajnath Singh at the Arlington National Cemetery. Both leaders expressed their anticipation for the next India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

“Excellent meeting with my dear friend @SecDef Lloyd Austin. We reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities and discussed ways to deepen them further. The signing of Security of Supply Arrangements and the agreement for positioning Indian officers at key US commands are groundbreaking developments,” Rajnath Singh posted on X.

Singh is on an official visit to the US from August 23 to 26.

(With ANI Inputs)

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