UK India Business Council Hosts UK Defence Delegation to Enhance Partnership between India and UK, reaffirming support to make India a Defence manufacturing hub

New Delhi, September 20, 2024: The UK India Business Council hosted a delegation of senior representatives from UK’s Ministry of Defence, Defence & Security Exports, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and leading defence companies, with an aim to enhance the bilateral defence industry partnership and reaffirm commitment to India as a strategic partner.

During a full week of high-level events including the Third ‘Track 1.5’ Bharat Shakti-IISS Workshop, the UK delegation also joined UKIBC’s UK industry roundtable with the Indian MOD to discuss enabling policy frameworks as well as the Third UK-India Joint Working Group Meeting, held in partnership with Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), to discuss the next frontiers of defence technology collaboration between businesses on both sides.

The event was graced by Mr. Shimon Fhima, Director Strategic Programmes, UK Ministry of Defence; Mr. Rajeev Prakash, Joint Secretary-Naval Systems, Department of Defence Production; Brigadier Marut Shukla, Deputy General Acquisition Technical (Army) Acquisition Wing; Col. Shailender Arya, Director (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence, Government of India; Ms. Rosie Grieves, Deputy Director & India Coordinator, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK and Mr. Frank Clifford, Head, Americas and Asia Pacific, UK Defence & Security Exports, Department for Business and Trade amongst other dignitaries. The group deliberated ways to enhance UK-India industrial engagement, exploring specific areas of B2B collaboration and opportunity, encouraging more joint ventures between UK and Indian firms and role of emerging and critical technology in defence sector. The meeting resulted in actionable proposals which will be developed and presented to both governments.

Richard McCallum, Group Chief Executive Officer, UK India Business Council, said, “I am delighted by the fruitful discussions which took place as part of our industry day for the delegation from UK. Our deliberations generated actionable suggestions to take the defence manufacturing relationship forward including collaboration in the technologies of the futures.

British industry appreciates that India is focused on indigenisation, on building reliable defence technology supply chains, and providing its forces with the capabilities needed for modernisation. India is progressing rapidly in developing its domestic defence industry. UKIBC and its members appreciate India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and applaud reforms in the defence sector. We recognise India’s focus on co-creation, co-development, and manufacturing for global markets.

UK companies are starting to see India as a strategic partner, integrated into their research, technology, and supply chains. UK firms stand to benefit from India’s cost-effective manufacturing, while India can accelerate its industrial development with support from mature defence markets like the UK.”

The UK and India have a shared history of defence cooperation driven by shared interests in regional and international security. Defence Minister, Mr. Rajnath Sungh’s UK visit in January this year is a testament to strengthening defence ties. During the visit, a Letter of Arrangement (LoA) was signed between DRDO and UK’s DSTL to deepen R&D between the two countries. The strengthening of ties has been amplified by signing of the the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI) during the visit of UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy to New Delhi in July this year. The TSI seeks to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries by accelerating bilateral technology security partnership in the specific areas of Telecom, Critical Minerals, Semiconductors, AI, Quantum, Biotechnology & Health Tech and Advanced Minerals.

UK is also co-developing defence technologies that reduce India’s dependency on foreign exports. In terms of maritime security, UK firms are partnering with India to produce underwater warfare equipment for Indian and global markets. UK & India have also established a forum to accelerate the transfer of technology for Electric Propulsion to Indian Navy. UK firms are aligned with India’s ambitions and are helping co-develop next generation weapons systems for India’s defence and law enforcement sector. They are also manufacturing small arms in India helping combat extremist threats and improve global security. UK firms are co-developing short range of air defence system missiles. Companies deliver cutting-edge training and simulation systems in pilot training.

UKIBC and our members applaud the major policy reforms undertaken by the Indian government in recent years that has helped catalyse many of these partnerships. In addition, we welcome further refinements to ensure a level playing field across all companies – domestic and foreign – including on indigenous content and bringing more consistency in terms of FDI caps across procurement categories among others that will help catalyse indigenous capability by bringing foreign technology into domestic programmes, boosting the Strategic Partnership Model, and helping India close the capability gap over the long-term.

As a part of the India and UK agreement to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021 and an associated 2030 Roadmap, both countries are collaborating on several initiatives, involving advanced military technologies cyber defence and unmanned aerial vehicles.

About the UKIBC

UKIBC is a policy advocacy and strategic consulting not-for-profit, with a mission to grow the UK-India trade and investment. To do that, we provide strategic and practical support to businesses and universities to explore, enter, and expand in both markets.

We want to help more UK businesses to uncover opportunities and succeed in India.

Business looking at the India opportunity need to develop a strategy based on factual market insights, and then implement that strategy. The UK India Business Council has the knowledge, networks, and people to help do this.

UK-India collaboration creates prosperity and jobs in both countries, and UK and Indian business have ideas, technology, services and products which improve lives. We work closely with the UK and Indian governments, the devolved administrations, England’s city regions, and State governments across India. We believe a strong UK-India economic partnership is a force for positive change globally.

For more information, please contact:

Nishtha Grover

Senior Manager – Communications, UK India Business Council Mobile – +91 9818021223 Email- Nishtha.grover@ukibc.com