@India-U.S. 10-Year Defence Cooperation Pact:
• Key Points
Purpose:
- Strengthen bilateral defence cooperation over the next decade covering technology sharing, intelligence exchange, joint exercises, defence innovation, and strategic alignment.
Areas of Collaboration:
- Defence technology development and transfer.Intelligence sharing for counter-terrorism and regional security.Joint military exercises and training programs.
- Cooperation in emerging domains like cyber, space, and artificial intelligence in defence.
- Collaboration on defence manufacturing contributing to "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) goals.
• Strategic Importance:
- Consolidates India’s position as a key strategic partner to the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region.Supports a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, balancing China’s growing assertiveness.
- Enhances interoperability between Indian and U.S. armed forces.Boosts India's defence preparedness through access to advanced technologies.
• Geopolitical Context:
- Strengthens bilateral ties amidst regional uncertainties including Chinese assertiveness and evolving security challenges.
- Aligns with U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy to maintain regional stability and open sea lanes.
• Implications for India:
- Accelerates modernization of India’s armed forces.Reduces dependency on single-country defence supplies.
• Facilitates India’s emergence as a net security provider in the region.
- Bolsters diplomatic leverage in global and regional geopolitics.
Relevance for UPSC:Important for GS Paper II (International Relations) to understand India-U.S. strategic ties and regional security dynamics.
Crucial for GS Paper III (Defence) focusing on defence modernization, technology, and bilateral defence agreements.
Supports essay and interview topics on India’s foreign policy and defence strategy.
Prepare brief notes on the background, objectives, significance, and challenges of this pact to cover both factual and analytical angles for the exam.