India, UK firm up defence industrial roadmap

India and the UK on Thursday firmed up a defence industrial roadmap for co-development and co-production of key defence products and platforms in sync with their overall strategic ties.

The roadmap was finalised following wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer.

The two leaders welcomed the finalisation of a defence industrial roadmap to promote collaboration in co-design, co-development and co-production of defence products to meet the growing demand in both countries as well as for the world market, an Indian readout said.


Modi and Starmer also expressed satisfaction at the deepening defence and security partnership between two countries.

There has been an upswing in India-UK defence ties in the last few years.

In October 2021, the UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG) visited India and held India-UK tri-service exercise Exercise Konkan Shakti.

The UK Carrier Strike Group will do a port call in Mumbai in October as well.

In November last, both sides firmed up a statement of intent (SoI) indicating resolve to strengthen cooperation in electric propulsion.

The two sides are also looking at the possibile cooperation in production of jet engines.

In their talks, Modi and Starmer also deliberated on the overall situation in the Indo-Pacific.

"We have continued to share our perspectives on peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the situation in West Asia," Modi said.

"We support early restoration of peace and stability. Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries is essential. Today's era demands development, not expansionism," he said.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the growing collaboration in new and emerging technologies and called for accelerated implementation of the Technology and Security Initiative (TSI).

The TSI, firmed up last year, focuses on telecom, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and health technology, semiconductors, advanced materials and quantum.