Rajnath Singh pitches drones, radars and choppers to ASEAN partners

Seeking to strengthen cooperation for maritime domain awareness, interoperability and underwater systems, defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday made a case for providing a range of military equipment to partners in the ASEAN region.

Speaking at the ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum, Singh said India is ready to explore cooperation in areas such as patrol vessels, radars, air defence systems, helicopters and drones. “Beyond the purchase of equipment, we should look at co-development, co-production, maintenance, repair and overhaul, training and longterm technical support. These arrangements can build local skills, support industry and make supply chains more reliable,” the minister said.

He said the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative can also create opportunities for trusted partners to design, build, maintain and improve equipment together. India has been stepping up its efforts to export weapon systems to trusted partners, with overseas missions and Indian companies tasked to explore global opportunities.


On the larger situation, he said India has been clear that Indo-Pacific should be a region where all countries, large or small, are free to make their own choices.