India and UK to boost defence ties

India and the UK have held “constructive and forward-looking” deliberations at a meeting of a key group to chart a “robust roadmap” to deepen defence cooperation and strengthen the enduring partnership between their armies, according to officials.

The Indian Army in a post on social media on Tuesday said the 15th India-United Kingdom Executive Steering Group (ESG) was held in the UK from June 17-19. “The engagement included visits to the UK Trials & Experimental Group, the ESG Meeting at the Ministry of Defence, London and MBDA, Stevenage,” it said.

Discussions focused on advancing multi-tiered military cooperation through enhanced interoperability, bilateral joint exercises and training, subject matter expert exchanges in niche and emerging military technologies, exploration of new avenues of training collaboration and increased engagement between defence think tanks, the Indian Army said.