India, UK Push for Deeper Defence Collaboration During Defence Secretary’s Visit to London
London [UK], April 18 (ANI): India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh concluded his official visit to the United Kingdom with a keynote address at the India-UK Defence Industry Roundtable, where he underscored the need to strengthen bilateral defence ties and promote joint innovation in cutting-edge defence technologies. The goal, he noted, is to modernise the armed forces of both nations through collaborative efforts.
“Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh concluded his UK visit with a keynote at the India-UK Defence Industry Roundtable. He emphasised deepening bilateral cooperation, urging joint innovation in niche defence technologies to modernise armed forces in both nations,” the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X.
As part of his visit, Singh also co-chaired the 24th India-UK Defence Consultative Group (DCG) meeting alongside his UK counterpart, David Williams, in London. The discussions revolved around expanding military cooperation and advancing joint capabilities within the defence sector.
David Williams, the Permanent Secretary at the UK Ministry of Defence, welcomed Singh to London, with Commodore Chris Saunders, Defence Advisor at the UK High Commission in India, sharing updates from the meeting via X. “@DefenceHQ Permanent Secretary, David Williams CB, welcomed Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh to London for the 24th UK-India Defence Consultative Group. Discussions focused on strengthening military cooperation and advancing defence capability collaboration,” Saunders posted.
According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, the talks also highlighted the importance of closer defence industry partnerships and boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative, particularly in areas involving advanced and emerging technologies.
In a post, the Directorate of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, wrote: “Defence Secy Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the 24th India-UK Defence Consultative Group meet with his UK counterpart David Williams in London. Both sides reviewed defence ties, focusing on enhancing defence industry collaboration & boosting the #MakeInIndia initiative, especially in niche tech.”
This visit follows the 13th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) held earlier on April 9 in London. Led by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, the dialogue covered a wide range of economic issues. During the EFD, the UK announced €400 million in export and investment deals with India, reinforcing the broader strategic and economic partnership between the two nations.
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