Rajnath Singh's UK visit takes forward bilateral Defence cooperation

NEW DELHI. Defence ties between India and the United Kingdom received a boost during the visit of Defence Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh for talks with his British counterpart Mr. Grant Shapps in London during January 8-10, this year.

The Ministers discussed a range of defence, security and cooperation matters with particular emphasis on enhancing defence industrial collaboration. Mr. Shapps observed the relationship between UK and India was not transactional, instead both countries were natural partners with many commonalities and shared goals. He appreciated the growing strategic convergence between the two countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

The bilateral defence meeting was followed by the signing of two agreements between India and UK - an MoU on conduct of bilateral international cadet exchange programme, and a Letter of Arrangement between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) on defence collaboration in research and development. These documents will provide impetus to the people-to-people exchanges particularly among the youth, and larger area of defence research collaboration between the two countries.

The Indian Defence Minister began his engagements on January 8 by paying floral tributes at the Tavistock Square statute of Mahatma Gandhi, who had studied law at the nearby University College London from 1888 to 1891. January 9 is a symbolic date from the perspective of Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa to Mumbai in 1915, which is commemorated in the form of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in India, marking the rich contribution of the Overseas Indian community towards the development of the country.