Thursday, Jun 30, 2005
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005 |
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India & World
Sridhar Krishnaswami
WASHINGTON: India and the United States have initialled a new framework for defence relationship, providing opportunities in areas such as technology transfer, co-production and research and development. The visiting Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, and his American counterpart, Donald Rumsfeld, signed on Tuesday the "new framework for the U.S.-India defence relationship for the next ten years." The framework said the two countries were entering a new era and transforming the relationship "to reflect our common principles and shared national interests." It stressed that defence relationship would support and be part of the larger bilateral strategic partnership. In the realm of defence, Washington and New Delhi had advanced in short time to "unprecedented levels of cooperation unimaginable" in 1995 when the two countries signed the "Agreed Minute on Defence Relations."
Major agreement
The major agreement was on expansion of defence trade. "The United States and India will work to conclude defence transactions, not solely as ends in and of themselves, but as a means to strengthen our countries' security, reinforce our strategic partnership, achieve greater interaction between our armed forces and build greater understanding between our defence establishments," the statement said. Conducting joint exercises and exchanges; collaborating in multinational operations "when it is in their common interest;" strengthening the militaries' capabilities to defeat terrorism; enhancing the capabilities to combat proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and expanding collaboration in missile defence are envisaged in the framework.
Formation of Group
It was also agreed upon that the Defence Policy Group shall continue to serve as the primary mechanism to guide the bilateral strategic defence relationship. A Defence Procurement and Production Group is also to be set up, recognising the growing "breadth and depth" of the strategic relationship. It will oversee defence trade and look at prospects for co-production and technology collaboration.
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