Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of Defense Mr Lloyd J Austin on the sidelines of 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus at Vientiane, Lao PDR on November 21, 2024. The two leaders applauded the progress achieved by the India-US defence partnership, based on increased working coordination, information-sharing, and industrial innovation.
Both sides realized the remarkable progress made under the US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, including ongoing collaboration to offer priority co-production understandings for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems. Raksha Mantri recalled his recent productive and successful visit to the US in August 2024, wherein two important documents were concluded – the Security of Supplies Agreement (SOSA) and the Memorandum of Agreement regarding the deployment of Liaison Officers.
Both sides welcomed ongoing efforts to deepen the military partnership and interoperability to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. Drawing attention to the successful QUAD Summit attended by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on September 21, 2024, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the need for both sides to work together on the agreed deliverables including the new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), the first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission, and the launch of a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region.
Both sides affirmed support to the growing defence creation collaboration between the two governments, businesses, and academic institutions promoted by India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem, by providing them with more joint challenges, funding opportunities and visibility. Both sides agreed to continue the speed achieved in the last two and a half years through growing conjunction to strategic interests and enhanced India-US defence cooperation.
Raksha Mantri expressed gratitude to Secretary Austin for his enriching and lasting contribution for worsening and developing India-US defence partnership. In a post on X, Shri Rajnath Singh termed Secretary Lloyd Austin as a great friend to India, whose subsidy towards strengthening India-US defence partnership has been outstanding. He wished him very best in all his future efforts.(PR)