US Defense Secretary Emphasizes Importance of US-India Partnership in Preserving Global Order

After meeting with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Austin announced the US government's full support for India's defense modernization.

The US-India relationship is considered one of the most consequential, and the partnership is a cornerstone of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The two countries have been working closely on defense-industrial cooperation, and the US government is committed to continuing its historic investment in technology cooperation with India.

The growing military cooperation between the two "great powers" can be a force for global good.

The US-India partnership is a cornerstone for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The US Defense Secretary and his Indian counterpart have taken new steps to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, including a fast-track and high-priority for co-development and co-production projects and increased ties between their defense industries.

There is an increasing desire for the US to share defense technology with India, but this is only done with countries that are trusted and believed in.

The US and India have inked key defense and security pacts in recent years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement, which provide for interoperability and the sale of high-end technology.

In October 2020, the two countries sealed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement to further boost bilateral defense ties and share high-end military technology, logistics, and geospatial maps.