Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the importance of the India-US partnership in safeguarding a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Singh made this statement on Monday following comprehensive discussions with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin. Singh expressed India's anticipation of robust collaboration with the US in diverse domains to enhance capacity building and strengthen the strategic partnership.

"India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership," Singh said.

According to reports, India has been actively pursuing the manufacturing of jet engines within its borders through technology transfer, aiming to empower its fighter aircraft. This objective aligns with the US designation of India as a "Major Defence Partner" in June 2016, facilitating the sharing of critical military equipment and technology.

As per reports, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted the significance of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) during his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue. He stated that the initiative allows for the exploration of new avenues to co-develop crucial defence platforms.

In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in May last year. This initiative aims to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two nations.

Reports also indicate that India and the US have signed key defence and security pacts over the past few years. These include the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in October 2020.

As per reports, the LEMOA allows for the use of each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. The COMCASA enhances interoperability between their militaries and enables the sale of advanced technology. The BECA agreement strengthens bilateral defence ties through the sharing of high-end military technology, logistics, and geospatial maps.

These collaborations between India and the US, as per reports, demonstrate their commitment to robust defence cooperation and the advancement of technology in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space, and semiconductors.

Image source: Zee Business