India-US roadmap for defence industrial cooperation focus area of PM Modi’s visit
Hindustan TimesPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US is set to take forward the roadmap for defence industrial cooperation, which envisages greater links between defence industries and research organisations of the two sides, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Monday. The visit should be seen more in the context of forging links for joint development and production of military platforms and collaboration in critical technologies, and not individual defence deals, Kwatra told a briefing on the prime minister’s visit to the US and Egypt beginning June 21. Reports have suggested India and the US are expected to unveil forward movement on crucial defence deals, including those for manufacturing GE Aviation’s F414 engine and for acquiring 31 MQ-9 weaponised drones, during Modi’s visit. Modi’s first visit to Egypt, also the first bilateral trip by an Indian prime minister since 1997, is aimed at continuing the momentum in ties and opening new areas for cooperation in trade and investment, Kwatra said.