With growing Defence ties between the two countries, India and the US are likely to unveil a roadmap for industries in the sector to partner closely in co-production, co-development and maintaining supply change during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US beginning June 21, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said here on Monday. He described Defence co-operation as a 'key pillar" of ties between the two countries.
Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US, a select group of eminent Defence sector firms from the two nations will participate in an innovative summit in Washington. It will serve as a bridge and is expected to catapult the Defence industrial cooperation between them like never before.
To be attended by some of the key private sector Defence players, the INDUS-X summit beginning June 20 will see the initiation of 'Joint Challenges' under the Defence Innovation Bridge, focusing on common dual-use cases for both nations.
Giving details of the Prime Minister's schedule, Kwatra said in New Delhi, Modi will also hold discussions with President Joe Biden on bettering trade and investment relations, besides forging closer ties in the technology domain comprising telecom, space and manufacturing.
The Foreign Secretary said Modi will also be on a state visit to Egypt from June 24-25 at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during which he is also scheduled to visit 11th Century mosque Al-Hakim, which was refurbished and renovated by the Bohra community.
The Foreign Secretary said the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap was expected to be one of the key outcomes of Modi's visit to the US. "It essentially focuses on all aspects of Defence co-production and co-development. It also talks about how Defence industrial ecosystems of the two countries could cooperate much better, how the supply lines in the field of Defence industry could also interface with each other much better," he said.
Kwatra described Defence cooperation as a "key pillar" of India's relationship with the US. "If you look at the complete matrix of the India-US Defence partnership, it is very robust, very dynamic, it has all the significant elements that make it so important.
"We conduct a large number of bilateral military exercises — both bilateral as also regional in nature. Armed forces have staff-to-staff engagement. India is also the deployer of the US equipment and platforms. Some of them are used by India," he said.
Noting that Modi has visited the US six times since 2014, Kwatra said,
"It is a milestone in our relationship. It is a very significant visit, a very important visit, a visit on which there is a genuine, widespread and deep interest in the US."
On Modi's visit to Egypt, Kwatra said the Prime Minister will also go to the Heliopolis War Cemetery to pay tributes to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for Egypt during World War 1. Incidentally, it is the first bilateral visit to Egypt by an Indian Prime Minister since 1997.
Prime Minister Modi will meet President El-Sisi and oversee the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding and agreements on that day.
Kwatra noted that the Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam was on a visit to India last month.
The Foreign Secretary noted that India has invited Egypt as a special guest during its G20 presidency. He also said Modi's "very quick reciprocal visit" to Egypt was taking place within six months of President El-Sisi's visit to India.
Meanwhile, reports from Washington said the inaugural INDUS X is expected to result in an Indo-US Joint Innovation Fund to boost deep tech Defence startups in both countries.
This fund aims to utilise a Public-Private Partnership model to assemble funds and expertise. The conference will involve leading universities, incubators, and accelerators. Partnerships with these entities will support defence innovation projects.