India, US ink agreement for defence equipment supply

The US and the Indian defence ministry have entered into an agreement to provide each other with reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence.

- AJAI SHUKLA

The agreement, called Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA), marked the start of a four-day visit to the US by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The two countries also signed a "Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers," which will facilitate the posting of one military officer from each country with the military of the other. In the case of India, one naval officer will be placed with the US headquarters in Bahrain.

Interacting with the Indian diaspora after landing in Washington on Thursday, Rajnath described India and the US as natural allies.

"On August 22, 2024, the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of the Government of India entered into a bilateral, non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA)," said the Pentagon on Friday.

SOSA will enable both countries to acquire from one another the industrial resources they need to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs.