India – US Defense Cooperation

US Secretary for Defense Ronald Rumsfeld and the Minister of Defence of India Mr. Pranab Mukherjee set in place a New Framework for the US-India Defense Relationship on June 28, 2005. Ten years ago, in January 1995, the two countries had signed the Agreed Minute on Defense Relations. Since then, changes in the international security environment and opportunities for cooperation unimaginable in 1995 led both countries to agree to the new Framework so as to build on past successes, seize new opportunities and chart a course for the India-US defense relationship for the next 10 years, a defense relationship in support of the broader India-US global partnership resolved to by Prime Minister and President Bush in the Joint Statement of July 18, 2005.

2. In the bilateral context the Framework seeks to enable cooperation in the area of defense technology, continued joint and combined exercises and exchanges, achieve greater interaction between our armed forces, increase opportunities for technology transfer, collaboration, co-production and research and development, etc. In the context of a global partnership, the Defense Framework sets out the common interest of both countries in maintaining security and stability, defeating terrorism and violent religious extremism, protecting the free flow of commerce via land, air and sea lanes and preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction and associated materials, data and technologies.

3. The Defense Policy Group (DPG) continues to be the primary mechanism to guide the India-US defense relationship. It held its seventh meeting on November 21-23. The meeting was co-chaired by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Mr. Eric. S. Edelman and Defence Secretary Government of India, Mr. Shekhar Dutt. The DPG included an intensive exchange of views on the international strategic and security situation and on the further development of bilateral defense cooperation as envisaged under the June 28 Defense Framework. The DPG reviewed the reports of the four sub-groups - Military Cooperation Group, Joint Technology Group, Senior Security Technology Group and Senior Technology Security Group and the Defense Procurement & Production Group (DPPG). The newly constituted DPPG held its first meeting in Washington, DC on November 18-21, 2005 and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the field of defense supplies as well as industrial and technological cooperation between USA and India. 

4. The armed forces of the two countries have been holding joint exercises since the resumption of defense cooperation between them. Indian and US Special Forces have conducted airborne joint exercises ‘Balance Iroquois’ in Agra in May 2002, and ‘Geronimo Thrust’ in Alaska in September-October 2002. A joint air transport exercise ‘Cope India’ was conducted in Agra in October 2002. The Navies of the two countries have undertaken joint patrolling to secure the maritime trade routes in the Strait of Malacca. The largest ever India-US naval exercise ‘Malabar’ were held off Kochi from September 26 to October 3, 2002 featuring over 1,500 Indian and American naval personnel conducting flying operations, anti-submarine warfare exercises and replenishment at sea. A peacekeeping command post exercise was held jointly in New Delhi in April 2003 and Special Forces of the two countries conducted joint counter insurgency exercises “Vajra Prahar” in Mizoram in April 2003. A counter insurgency and Jungle Warfare exercise “Yudha Abhyas” was held in Mizoram in March-April, 2004. ‘Cope Thunder’ multilateral exercises in Alaska held in July-August 2004 had Indian Air Force units including 200 personnel and six Jaguar fighters. About 2,000 Indian and US Navy personnel took part in Malabar 04, a training exercise off the southwest coast of India on October 1-9, 2004. A major IAF-USAF dissimilar air combat training Exercise ‘Cope India 05’ took place at Air Force Station Kalaikunda on 07-17 Nov 05. The USAF participation comprised twelve F-16, based at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and one E-3 AWACS based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. IAF participation comprised MiG-21 Bison, MiG-27, Mirage-2000, Mig 29 and Su-30 K. In addition few sorties on Su 30 MKI were included for the first time.