Indo-Pacific: Two new US-India defence agreements signed

India and the United States have recently signed two significant agreements: the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers. These agreements mark the latest in a series of bilateral military collaborations that have significantly strengthened defense and security ties between the two nations over the past decade. The agreements were finalized during India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s four-day official visit, which concluded on August 25. During this visit, both countries agreed to advance key co-production projects, including those involving jet engines, unmanned platforms, munitions, and ground mobility systems, as part of the 2023 US-India Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation.

Overview of the New Agreements

SOSA: The Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) ensures that India and the US will provide reciprocal priority support to each other for goods and services critical to national defense. According to the US Department of Defense (DoD), this agreement will help both nations secure the industrial resources needed to address unexpected supply chain disruptions and meet national security demands. India is the 18th country to enter into a SOSA with the US. While the SOSA is legally non-binding, it serves as an important tool to strengthen interoperability with US defense trade partners. In addition, the DoD is working on concluding a more binding Reciprocal Defence Procurement (RDP) Agreement with India, aimed at promoting the standardization and interoperability of defense equipment between the two countries. The US has already signed RDP Agreements with 28 other nations.

Memorandum of Agreement on Liaison Officers: This agreement is a step forward from a previous decision to enhance information-sharing between India and the US by posting Indian armed forces officers in key US strategic commands. Under this agreement, India will deploy its first Liaison Officer to the US Special Operations Command headquarters in Florida.

Key Milestones in India-US Defense Cooperation

The foundation of bilateral defense cooperation was laid in the September 2013 Joint US-India Declaration on Defence Cooperation and the 2015 Framework for the US-India Defence Relationship. These agreements committed both countries to increasing defense collaboration.

2023 Roadmap: The roadmap for defense industrial cooperation, released last year, envisioned the conclusion of SOSA and the RDP Agreement. The US also expressed support for integrating the Indian defense industry into global supply chains and aiding India in developing naval and maritime infrastructure to establish an Indo-Pacific regional hub for ship and aircraft maintenance.

Priority Areas: The roadmap identified key areas of cooperation, including Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Undersea Domain Awareness, Air Combat and Support (including aero engines), munitions systems, and ground mobility.

iCET Initiative: In January 2023, the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was launched to expand the strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the two nations. National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan discussed opportunities for co-development, co-production, and deepening connectivity across innovation ecosystems.

INDUS-X: During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) was launched to build a defense innovation bridge under the iCET framework.

Foundational Agreements and Other Key Developments

Since 2002, India and the US have signed several foundational agreements to strengthen military cooperation. These include the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020. In 2019, the Industrial Security Annex (ISA) to the GSOMIA was signed to facilitate the exchange of classified information between the defense industries of the two countries.

Defense Deals and Sales

In 2016, the US designated India as a Major Defence Partner, which led to India’s elevation to Strategic Trade Authorisation tier 1 status in 2018. This status grants India license-free access to a range of military and dual-use technologies. The Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) agreement, signed in 2012, further promotes industrial cooperation and defense trade between the two nations.

Ongoing negotiations include the manufacturing of GE F-414 jet engines in India for the LCA MK 2 fighters and the procurement of 31 MQ-9B High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) UAVs. Additionally, deliveries of the GE-F404 engines for the LCA Tejas Mark-1A are currently underway.