Pentagon steps up maritime defence trade with India, UK seeks IOR opportunities

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 October 2019, 23:31 GMT]
The bilateral defence trade between the USA and India is expected to reach an estimated USD 18 billion by the end of 2019, said US Department of Defence Undersecretary Ellen Lord in a press conference at the Pentagon on Friday. The defence trade was almost zero back in 2008, she said. India has gained same authorisation as USA’s NATO allies, Japan, South Korea and Australia, she said. In the meantime, India has requested the UK to place a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to explore opportunities under the “Make in India” initiative, media reports from India said.

“The US government granted India Strategic Trade Authority Tier 1 designation last August, providing India with greater supply-chain efficiency by allowing US companies to export a greater range of dual-use and high-technology items to India under streamlined processes,” according to Ms Ellen Lord of the Pentagon.

“This grants India the same authorisation as NATO allies Japan, South Korea and Australia. All of these examples show how the United States and India are working bilaterally and in cooperation with other like-minded partners to advance our shared vision for the Indo-Pacific,” Ellen added.

The Indian paper Financial Express has reported the British development citing UK's Vice Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Tim Fraser.

Tim Fraser was participating at a meeting organised by the Vivekananda International Foundation and the British High Commission on IOR.

In 2021, HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and the Carrier Strike Group, on her maiden operational deployment, will operate in the IOR, Tim Fraser has said.

External Links:

The Pentagon:		Press Briefing By Undersecretary Of Defense For Acquisition And Sustainment Ellen M. Lord
The Financial Express:		India-UK defence ties: The UK seeks opportunities in Make in India, offers electric propulsion

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