Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks met with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the Pentagon to discuss enhancing the U.S.-India defense partnership. The meeting focused on defense industrial cooperation, technology innovation, and operational collaboration.
Hicks emphasized the ongoing progress in joint efforts that aim to boost security for both nations and the broader Indo-Pacific region. "The United States and India continue to break new ground in areas of cooperation that will enhance the security of both countries, as well as the broader Indo-Pacific region," she stated.
The discussion included India's support for maritime security and logistics initiatives from the recent Quad Leaders Summit. Both officials reviewed co-production plans for jet engines, land mobility systems, and munitions. They also noted advancements through the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), which promotes innovation among defense industries in both countries.
Hicks highlighted outcomes from the recent INDUS-X Summit, such as a new joint innovation challenge for space domain technologies and an upgraded memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and India's Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX) office.
Regional security issues were another topic of conversation, alongside various operational cooperation initiatives aimed at ensuring stability in the Indo-Pacific. Hicks underscored the importance of advancing all aspects of the Major Defense Partnership and committed to deepening bilateral cooperation to support a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
