On August 22, 2024, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India (IN MoD) entered into a bilateral, non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA). The SOSA was signed by Dr. Vic Ramdass, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, on behalf of the United States, and Mr. Samir Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisitions), on behalf of the IN MoD.
Through this SOSA, the United States and India agree to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defense. The arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs.
"This Security of Supply Arrangement represents a pivotal moment in the U.S. – India Major Defense Partner relationship and will be a key factor in strengthening the U.S. – India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI)," said Dr. Ramdass. "I look forward to OUSD(A&S) hosting the next DTTI meeting this fall to deepen cooperation between our respective defense industrial bases and pursue bilateral co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment initiatives."
In the arrangement, the U.S. and India commit to supporting one another's priority delivery requests for procurement of critical national defense resources. The U.S. will provide India assurances under the U.S. Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS), with program determinations by DoD and rating authorization by the Department of Commerce (DOC). India will establish a government-industry Code of Conduct with its industrial base, where Indian firms will voluntarily agree to make every reasonable effort to provide the U.S. priority support.
With an expanding global supply chain for DoD, SOSAs are an important mechanism for DoD to strengthen interoperability with U.S. defense trade partners. The arrangements institute working groups, establish communication mechanisms, streamline DoD processes, and proactively act to allay anticipated supply chain issues in peacetime, emergency, and armed conflict situations. They are also useful tools in developing investment strategies to ensure redundancy and security.
India is now the eighteenth SOSA partner of the U.S., joining other partners such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Israel Italy Japan Latvia Lithuania Netherlands Norway Republic Korea Singapore Spain Sweden United Kingdom
About the Department of Defense's DPA Title I Office:
Within OASD(IBP), DPA Title I Manufacturing Capability Expansion Investment Prioritization ODASD(IBR) responsible securing maintaining SOSAs foreign partners efforts focused ensuring timely availability critical industrial resources support national defense requirements through DPAS self-operating legally binding priority system administered DOC conjunction DOC delegated authorities oversees prioritization allocation DoD contracts orders rated supports stakeholders including components delegate agencies private industry execution mission ensures nation prioritizing production procurement critical meet domestic foreign demands evolving threat environment
For additional information on SOSAs copies arrangements please see Title I website https://www.businessdefense.gov/security-of-supply.html
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