US Secretary of Defense on India: On Saturday, the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, praised US-Indian relations at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, saying that the two countries are currently co-producing armored vehicles and that their relationship is better than ever.
Austin added, “Years ago, the idea came into existence to gain approval for India to build jet engines for fighter aircraft in India,” during his speech at the largest security gathering in Asia.
He said that the US had advanced its co-production of armored vehicles and fighter jet engines with India.
“I believe there is a lot of momentum. One notable example, in my opinion, is that our current relationship with India is on par with or even better than ever. During the dialogue, Austin discussed the bilateral relationship between the United States and India.
“You know, a few years back, we started with the idea of getting India approved to manufacture jet engines for fighter aircraft there. I was on the board of a company that produced fighter aircraft jet engines. And I am aware of how challenging this was going to be. We were both optimistic and highly doubtful that we could successfully complete this task. We succeeded. That is indeed the case,” he stated, adding that the United States and India are “co-producing armored vehicles.”
“Usage of new technology and training is for South East Asia,” he stated.
According to Economic Times, the US Defense Secretary stated that the current momentum in ties will continue, and that the US and India’s shared ideals serve as the cornerstones of their respective countries’ advancement.
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Because they are founded on a shared vision and set of values, the region’s anchors for progress are firmly established. Thus, Austin emphasized, “I think the momentum we’re seeing will not only continue, but it will also gain up speed since this is beneficial to all of us.
“I do think that this will be lasting,” he stated.
Notably, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), an independent think tank, organizes the yearly Shangri-La Dialogue, a “Track One” intergovernmental security forum in Singapore.
United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated in April of this year that the agreement between the two countries to jointly produce jet weaponry is innovative.
Austin emphasized that the US and India are also building armored vehicles and that these joint ventures will have excellent capabilities.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic official state visit to the United States in June of last year, the landmark jet engine transaction was made public. To build fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force, General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics signed a memorandum of understanding.
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US General Electric (US GE) revealed earlier in 2023 that it had signed a collaborative agreement to jointly produce engines in India to power fighter jets for the Indian Air Force with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the government’s aerospace and defense manufacturing company.
Furthermore, in February of this year, the Biden Administration informed the US Congress of its intention to export weapons valued at close to $4 billion, the majority of which were MQ 9 B drones fitted with Hellfire missiles.
In a news release, the US Department of Defense agency Defence Security Cooperation Agency stated that the sale contributes to the strengthening of the strategic alliance between the US and India.
“An important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region,” it continued, is New Delhi.
