Rajnath Singh Calls for US Defence Collaboration to Boost Make in India

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh engaged with senior leaders from major US defence companies in Washington, DC, to explore co-development and co-production opportunities in India’s defence sector. Singh spoke at an industry roundtable organized by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), where he emphasized India’s commitment to the Make in India program and the goal of achieving Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence.

Singh’s address highlighted the significant potential for collaboration between Indian and US companies. He encouraged American firms to partner with Indian businesses to accelerate the development and production of defence technologies. In a post on X, Singh said, “Had fruitful interaction with leading U.S. defence companies at the Defence Industry – Roundtable organised by @USISPF. Invited them to work with Indian partners to accelerate our Make in India programme towards achieving Atmanirbharta in the defence sector. Together, Indian and US companies will co-develop and co-produce for the world.”

According to the Ministry of Defence, Singh underscored that the core elements of ‘Partnership’ and ‘Joint Efforts’ set India’s defence industry collaboration apart from others. The Ministry’s press release noted that India’s progressive reforms have attracted many foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including those from the US, to establish manufacturing units, form joint ventures, and consider India as an alternate export base. A significant milestone in this partnership will be the planned co-production of GE 414 aero-engines in India.

The roundtable saw participation from leaders of major US defence and technology companies, including Boeing, GE, General Atomics, General Dynamics Land Systems, L3 Harris, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Rolls Royce, and ThayerMahan. Indian companies such as IdeaForge, Tata Sons, and Tsecond, along with senior representatives from The Cohen Group, also took part in the discussions. These leaders presented their ongoing projects and plans for India and provided valuable feedback.

During his visit, Singh also held extensive discussions with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on bilateral defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, and regional security. They reviewed the India-US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, which was adopted last year, and discussed various co-development and co-production opportunities. The two leaders commended the progress in operationalizing the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness initiative, a Quad initiative, and India’s ongoing efforts to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indian Ocean Region.

Singh and Austin also noted the Indian Navy’s forthcoming deployment of personnel to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Combined Task Force 150 headquarters in 2025. They praised the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) for establishing a Defence Innovation bridge between the two countries. INDUS-X has created robust networks across start-ups, industry, academia, and governments, accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and enhancing warfighting capabilities.

The upcoming INDUS X Silicon Valley Summit in September 2024 is expected to announce several key initiatives. Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the conclusion of the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA) between India and the US, marking a significant step in strengthening defence ties between the two nations.