The U.K. Navy will send its Littoral Response Group to the Indian Ocean region later this year, with plans for its Carrier Strike Group to visit India in 2025. Both will operate and train with Indian forces, U.K. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has announced.
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He said this as he held discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who is on a two-day visit to the U.K. This is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to the U.K. after over two decades, the last visit was by George Fernandes in 2002.
“The two nations also discussed future cooperation in defence from joint exercises to knowledge sharing and instructor exchanges. These steps build on the comprehensive strategic partnership envisaged in the 2030 India-U.K. roadmap, announced in 2021,” the U.K. High Commission said in a statement on Wednesday. Deployment of the U.K.’s most advanced naval capabilities mark a decisive step in bolstering the U.K.-India security ties, it stated.
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Common challenges
In the coming years, the U.K. and India will also embark on more complex exercises between their respective militaries, building up to a landmark joint exercise to be conducted before the end of 2030, supporting shared goals of “protecting critical trade routes and upholding the international rules-based system,” the statement said.
“There is absolutely no question that the world is becoming increasingly contested, so it’s vital that we continue to build on our strategic relationships with key partners like India. Together we share the same security challenges and are steadfast on our commitment to maintaining a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr. Shapps said in the statement.
Collaboration with industry is also key in the strategic defence partnership between the U.K. and India, with the two nations working together on electric propulsion systems that will power our future fleets, and cooperating on the development of complex weapons, the statement noted.
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Building on the existing strategic partnership, the U.K. and India also confirmed several new joint initiatives during the visit. “Launching Defence Partnership-India – a bespoke office designed to further defence collaboration between the two countries,” the High Commission said.
“Solidifying an agreement on logistics exchange, allowing for the provision of logistic support, supplies and services between the United Kingdom and Indian armed forces, for joint training, joint exercises, authorised port visits and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” the statement added.
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for bilateral international cadet exchange programme and also a Letter of Arrangement (LoA) on defence collaboration in research and development.