India, UK review defence industrial cooperation

India and the United Kingdom convened a meeting on Friday to assess their ongoing defence industrial collaboration, with a focus on research and development. This discussion took place during the 25th India-UK Defence Consultative Group meeting, where Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met with Jeremy Pocklington, the Permanent Under Secretary for Defence in the UK.

The two nations reaffirmed their commitment to mutual security and strategic autonomy, emphasizing the importance of shared values such as peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect. In addition to discussing defence industrial cooperation, both sides agreed to expand bilateral exchanges between their armed forces through joint exercises, training, and capacity building.

They also acknowledged the strong maritime security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region, including the establishment of the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (RMSCE) as part of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). Pocklington, who was making his first visit to India in his capacity as Permanent Under Secretary for Defence, paid tribute to India's National War Memorial and visited Gandhi Smriti Museum and National Defence College in New Delhi. He also held a bilateral meeting with General N S Raja Subramani, the Chief of Defence Staff.