India-US DPG Meet: India and the United States recently sat together in New Delhi to take a big look at their defence relationship. The talks were about how both countries can work more closely in making military equipment together and building it together. This meeting was the 18th India-US Defence Policy Group, which is the top official-level forum for defence talks between the two sides.
It was co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and US Under Secretary Elbridge Colby. Reports on March 26, 2026 said the meeting covered defence ties, key purchases, and future joint work.
The Defence Policy Group is an important channel because it is used to review the full defence partnership at the policy level. In simple words, this is where India and the US check how their defence friendship is moving and what they want to do next. The talks were not only about buying weapons. They were also about planning long-term work together in defence production and military cooperation.
Vinyas Innovative and Others Gain Focus After New Defence Orders
Excalibur Deal
One big topic in the meeting was the Excalibur precision-guided munitions deal. India has already signed a ₹300 crore deal for these shells. According to ANI, Indian officials told the American side that the shells should be delivered on time.
Another item under discussion was the possible purchase of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles from the US through the emergency route. These two systems were also part of a US-approved defence sales package for India announced in November 2025.
Other Military Plans
The meeting also looked at the larger strategic relationship between the two countries. The defence ministry said, “Both sides reviewed ongoing initiatives, identified priority areas for co-development and co-production of defence equipment, and reaffirmed commitment to enhancing military-to-military cooperation through joint exercises, training visits and strategic exchanges,” the defence ministry said.
Strong Defence Ties Growth
India already uses many American military platforms. These include the P-8I aircraft, C-17 transport aircraft, Apache helicopters, and M777 howitzers. Because of this, defence ties between the two countries are already strong. The latest meeting showed that both sides want to deepen this partnership even more.
The two countries had also signed a 10-year “Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership” in 2025. That framework covers joint production of advanced defence systems, intelligence sharing, and support for India’s “Make in India” push in manufacturing.
