'Make in India' gets centre-stage in defence cooperation with US
New Delhi, May 24
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday highlighted the importance of taking into account the 'Make in India' approach while going forward in defence cooperation with the United States.
He made the remarks during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio here in the national capital.
Detailing about the discussions held on the wide-ranging ties between India and the United States, Jaishankar said, "Where defence and security cooperation is concerned, you're all aware that the 10-year major defence partnership framework agreement was recently renewed. A comprehensive underwater domain awareness roadmap was also signed. We discussed the importance of taking into account the Make in India approach and lessons drawn from recent conflicts while going forward in the defence domain."
India and the United States inked the 'framework for the US-India major defence partnership' in October last year during the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The pact is set to usher in a new era in an already strong defence partnership between the two countries as it marks a new chapter to further transform the partnership over the next 10 years. It is intended to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation.
He also noted that discussions were held on energy issues between the two countries.
EAM underlined the government's fundamental responsibility of addressing the needs of 1.4 billion people.
"Ensuring the accessibility and affordability of energy for them is our prime objective. Secretary and I therefore welcome the expansion in our energy trade in recent months. Diversified supplies are at the heart of energy security for India", he said.
"We devoted some time to nuclear energy cooperation as well. The passage of the Shanti Act has opened up new possibilities...We hope to realise the potential of cooperation in the nuclear domain. I also raised with the Secretary some regulatory issues that we have on the American side", Jaishankar added.
On the front of critical minerals, EAM noted that India and the United States have been cooperating bilaterally and on larger forums such as the QUAD and the US-led Pax Silica initiative.
He recalled the seminal global AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi earlier this year and how it highlighted the enormous potential in the India-US relationship.
"As India's semiconductors and AI capabilities advance, this cooperation will be more prominent in the days to come".
Amid a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, Jaishankar, in his remarks, mentioned that the talks slated later today will focus on the recent developments in the Gulf region, the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific.
He reiterated India's position regarding the regional and global conflicts, noting dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward; support for safe and unimpeded maritime commerce; demand respect for international law; against weaponisation of market shares and resources and a belief in the value of trusted partnerships, resilient supply chains to derisk the global economy.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see energy security being given priority. With 1.4 billion people, affordable and reliable energy is non-negotiable. The Shanti Act opening up nuclear cooperation is promising—India needs to harness every clean energy option. But the regulatory issues Jaishankar raised on the US side need urgent resolution.
The 10-year defence partnership and underwater domain awareness roadmap sound solid. But let's be real—recent conflicts have shown that modern warfare is about drones, cyber, and AI, not just tanks and ships. I hope our lessons draw from Ukraine and Gaza, not just Cold-War era thinking. We need joint production of next-gen gear.
Jaishankar is spot on about dialogue and diplomacy being the way forward. India has always been a voice for peace, not confrontation. The mention of 'derisking' the global economy without weaponizing resources is a masterstroke—this is the kind of strategic autonomy we need.
I'm cautiously optimistic. The 'Make in India' push is great in theory, but in practice, we've seen delays in projects like the Tejas and Kaveri engine. We need more accountability and faster execution. Still, this is a step up from just buying off-the-shelf weapons.
The AI Impact Summit in Delhi and the semiconductor push are huge for India's tech future. If we can combine US innovation with Indian manufacturing, we could become a global hub. But we need to protect our own startups—not just become a market for American giants.