The recent trip of our Prime Minister to the United States has significantly advanced the bilateral defense cooperation between the U.S. and India.
Recent Advancements in US-India Defence Relations
New 10-Year Defence Framework Agreement:
- Extends the Major Defence Partnership between the United States and India.
- Focuses on autonomous systems, including:
- A partnership between Anduril Industries and Mahindra Group.
- Joint development of Active Towed Array Systems (ATAS) by L3Harris and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
- Establishment of the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) to foster advanced military technology collaboration.
Enhanced Defence Cooperation:
- Potential areas for collaboration include:
- Undersea systems
- Fifth-generation fighter aircraft
- Space initiatives
- Air defence systems
- Anti-tank missile systems
- A review of the arms transfer regulatory framework is underway to facilitate defence trade and synchronize acquisition processes.
- Potential areas for collaboration include:
Strengthening Defence Acquisitions:
- India plans to procure and co-produce:
- ‘Javelin’ Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
- ‘Stryker’ Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICVs)
- These moves aim to enhance domestic manufacturing and integrate India into the global supply chain.
- India will acquire six more P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft to improve Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).
- India plans to procure and co-produce:
Challenges in the India-U.S. Defence Partnership
Delayed Technology Transfers and Engine Procurement Issues:
- No reference to General Electric (GE) Aerospace’s F-404 GE-IN-20 engines for the Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets produced in India.
- No confirmation regarding the 80% Transfer of Technology (ToT) for GE’s F-414 engine, which is intended for the Tejas Mark-II jets.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) is facing a reduction in fighter squadrons, falling below the required strength of 30 squadrons.
Challenges in Fighter Aircraft Procurement and Integration:
- Potential integration of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft into the IAF poses logistical and operational challenges.
- The IAF operates a varied fleet, including Russian-origin Su-30MKIs, MiG-29s, French Rafales, British Jaguars, and indigenous Tejas jets, making integration complex.
- Significant modifications would be needed for training, maintenance, infrastructure, and weapons compatibility.
- The IAF’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) project, aimed at procuring 114 multirole fighters, has faced delays since its inception in 2000.
Strategic Autonomy Concerns:
- India’s broadening partnerships with countries like Russia, France, Israel, and the U.S. raise concerns about strategic autonomy.
- While France has agreed to provide technology transfer in the Rafale deal, the U.S. has historically been reluctant to share critical defence technology.
- The U.S. often imposes End-User Monitoring (EUM) agreements, requiring on-site inspections of military equipment post-sale, which could jeopardize India’s operational confidentiality.
- Acquiring U.S. systems like the F-35 or advanced missile defence systems may undermine India’s ability to maintain a non-aligned defence policy, increasing reliance on American military infrastructure and intelligence-sharing.
Defence Cooperation between India and the United States
Foundational Agreement:
- The India-U.S. defence cooperation is based on the “New Framework for India-US Defence Cooperation,” extended for an additional ten years in 2015.
- In 2016, the relationship was officially recognized as a Major Defence Partnership (MDP), emphasizing mutual commitment to a comprehensive, lasting, and beneficial defence alliance.
Tier-1 Status and Key Forums:
- On 30 July 2018, India was granted Tier-1 status under the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Strategic Trade Authorization license exception.
- The Defense Policy Group (DPG), led by the Defense Secretary and the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), serves as a forum for detailed discussions on defence dialogues and mechanisms. The latest DPG meeting was held in Washington D.C. in August 2019.
Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI):
- The 10th meeting of the DTTI, co-chaired by the Secretary (Defense Production) and the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment), was held virtually on 15 September 2020.
- Other DTTI-related forums such as the DTTI Industry Collaboration Forum (DICF) and the DTTI Inter-Agency Task Force (DIATF) also convened virtually in 2020.
- The 4th Maritime Security Dialogue (MSD) took place in August 2019.
Collaborative Frameworks:
- Several collaborative bodies have been established, including:
- Military Cooperation Group.
- Three Executive Steering Groups (ESGs) focused on military-to-military cooperation.
- Joint Technology Group.
- Senior Technology Security Group (STSG).
- Several collaborative bodies have been established, including:
Defence Procurements:
- Defence procurements from the United States have significantly increased over the past decade, with India acquiring approximately US$ 21 billion in defence items since 2008.
- The Defence Production and Procurement Group oversees these procurement activities, with the last meeting held in August 2019.
Recent Defence Agreements:
India-U.S. Foundational Agreements:
Successful Conclusion of Four Foundational Agreements:
- India has signed all four foundational agreements with the United States, enhancing defence cooperation.
- These agreements include:
- Logistics Agreement (2016): Facilitates logistics support between the two nations.
- Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) (2018): Ensures secure communications between military forces.
- Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) (2020): Provides real-time access to American geospatial intelligence, improving weaponry and systems.
- General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was signed earlier, with its extension, the Industrial Security Annex (ISA), finalized in 2019.
Significance of BECA:
- BECA enables India to gain real-time access to American geospatial intelligence, significantly improving the accuracy of systems and weaponry, including missiles and drones.
- The agreement allows for the exchange of crucial information like maps, satellite imagery, and topographical and aeronautical data.
- Enhanced Navigation and Targeting: BECA enhances India’s military systems, particularly in navigation and targeting capabilities for air and ground operations, including more precise missile and drone targeting.
- Cooperation with U.S. Air Force: The agreement strengthens the cooperation between the Indian and U.S. Air Forces, improving operational effectiveness.
- Comparison to GPS Services: Similar to how ride-hailing services or smartphones use GPS for efficient routing, BECA improves Indian military systems’ GPS capabilities, ensuring real-time intelligence and accurate targeting of adversaries.
Key Foundational Agreements Between India and the U.S.
Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) (2016):
- Facilitates mutual replenishment of military resources between the U.S. and India.
- Both nations can access supplies, spare parts, and services from each other’s military bases, airfields, and ports, with a reimbursement provision.
- Strengthens cooperation between the Indian and U.S. Navies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Analogy: Similar to refueling or repairing your vehicle at a friend’s garage when away from your own.
Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) (2018):
- Signed after the 2+2 dialogue, COMCASA allows the U.S. to provide encrypted communication systems and equipment to India.
- Ensures secure communication networks for military commanders, aircraft, and naval vessels of both countries during peacetime and conflict.
- Analogy: Like securely messaging a friend via platforms such as WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram in real-time.
General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) (2002):
- Permits the sharing of intelligence between the U.S. and Indian military forces.
- Initially, this exchange was limited to government authorities, not private entities.
- Industrial Security Annex (ISA) (2019):
- Complements GSOMIA by providing a framework for the exchange and protection of classified military information between the defense industries of both nations.
- Promotes co-production and co-development in the defense sector, in line with India’s “Make in India” initiative.