India-U.K. Joint Working Group

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    • Recently, Defence industry organisations from India and the UK have come together to create a new Defence Industry Joint Working Group for more effective cooperation. 
      • The inaugural meeting of the JWG was held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar. 

    About Defence Industry Joint Working Group 

    • The JWG is part of an ongoing initiative between the two countries to strengthen the defence and security partnership through industrial collaboration.
    • The U.K. recently issued its first Open General Export License (OGEL) in the Indo-Pacific region to India that will shorten the delivery times for defence procurement.
    • The Royal Air Force (RAF) recently conducted a subject matter expertise exchange with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) during the visit of Eurofighter Typhoon, Voyager and A-400 in New Delhi and also held joint-flying exercises with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
    • The UK and India have welcomed the finalisation of the Letter of Arrangement between the U.K.’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and India’s DRDO.

    Significance of the move 

    • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: A stronger UK-India defence relationship is an essential element of the British and Indian governments’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
    • U.K. is a world leader in critical defence technologies such as jet engine developments which could be beneficial for India.
      • The U.K. has offered advanced core technologies to India, capable of creating an indigenous, ITAR-free jet engine owned, manufactured and exported by India.
    • India and the U.K. have established an Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership and the Joint Working Group will establish a strong partnership between the two navies for development of Electric Propulsion capability for India.
    • The U.K.-India 2030 Roadmap commits to partnership on India’s indigenous combat air programmes, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-MkII and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). 
    • DefExpo-2022 has representation from 20 U.K. defence companies: The U.K. industry is already integrating Indian defence suppliers into their global supply chain, manufacturing defence equipment not just for India but for the world.

    Source: TH

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