The US on Thursday designated India as a “major defence partner” finalising a set of licensing rules that it would use while transferring critical defence technologies. “Our defence relationship takes a major step as we designate India a major defence partner,” visiting US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said at the delegation level meeting with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar.
While the Barack Obama administration recognised India as a major defence partner in June, a defence ministry source said licensing rules had now been finalised. India looks for several crucial technologies from the US as part of its plans to modernise the armed forces.
“The designation of major defence partner is a status unique to India and institutionalises the progress made to facilitate defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level at a par with that of the US’s closest allies and partners, and ensures enduring cooperation into the future,” read a joint statement issued after Parrikar-Carter meeting.
Published 08 December 2016, 19:19 IST