Opinion India and the UK: A defence partnership with potential to make a better world
The deepening partnership and shared commitment to security have boundless potential to address regional and global challenges
Recently, soldiers from the British Army’s Royal Gurkha Rifles trained alongside the Indian Army’s Sikh Regiment in the eighth edition of Exercise Ajeya Warrior in Rajasthan. (Source: UK Defence in India/X/via ANI) The true test of a strong defence relationship lies in our militaries’ ability to work together on the ground. I have had the privilege of visiting India twice this year and have witnessed a defence relationship going from strength to strength, with the ambitious India-UK Vision 2035 setting the intent for future cooperation.
This refreshed commitment to working together is already being fulfilled. Recently, soldiers from the British Army’s Royal Gurkha Rifles trained alongside the Indian Army’s Sikh Regiment in the eighth edition of Exercise Ajeya Warrior in Rajasthan. With every iteration, this exercise has grown in complexity and depth, increasing our level of understanding. When the UK hosted the Indian Army for Ajeya Warrior in 2023, a company of Indian soldiers integrated within the British Army’s 16th Air Assault Brigade, providing invaluable experience to the two forces, operating in a unified command and leaving us with an increased mutual understanding of military capabilities and tactics. This year, the exercise focused on executing complex operations in a multi-domain environment. This was also an opportunity for our soldiers to develop professional bonds and friendships.
Ajeya Warrior is just one example in a series of exercises we’ve delivered together.
In October, the UK’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, exercised with India’s Carrier Strike Group, led by the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. These immense naval flotillas spent four days completing complex maritime manoeuvres as part of Exercise KONKAN, followed by a testing air defence exercise. Not only was this the first time that UK and Indian carriers exercised together, but it was the first time an Indian carrier group had participated in multi-domain military exercises with a multi-national carrier strike group. This came as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Mumbai to drive a stronger, future-facing partnership.
Our militaries are working together more closely than ever, and our cooperation is not limited to joint exercises. We are entering a new era of defence industrial cooperation and co-production, designed to deliver mutual benefits: Supporting India’s vision of self-reliance whilst driving economic growth in the UK. The two countries have recently agreed on a 10-year Defence Industrial Roadmap. The complementary strengths of India’s and the UK’s defence industry provide excellent opportunities for collaboration, and some of them have already started delivering results.
Our prime ministers were also proud to announce a £350-million agreement to proceed via government-to-government to supply Lightweight Multirole Missile systems for the Indian Army. We are in motion to finalise a UK-India inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in developing maritime electric propulsion systems for Indian naval platforms. This will deliver UK innovations aboard Indian naval ships, offering a more advanced propulsion technology for its future platforms.
Knowledge sharing is also at the heart of our defence cooperation — from military to industrial. We are honoured to host Indian officers as instructors at our world-renowned UK military institutions, including the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Britannia Royal Naval College. And we are working towards an agreement that would see Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors integrated into the UK Royal Air Force training.
All these commitments attest to a core principle the UK and India share — the commitment to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the respect for sovereignty, freedom of navigation and international law. India stands as one of the emerging superpowers of the 21st century, and the UK is an enthusiastic partner in support of PM Modi’s vision to become a developed nation by 2047. We believe our deepening partnership and shared commitment to security have boundless potential to address regional and global challenges.
The recent India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement complements and reinforces our defence cooperation, creating a virtuous circle of security and prosperity. Our recent exercises demonstrate our commitment to deliver security and prosperity that benefits people across both our nations, and beyond.
The writer is Minister of State for Defence of the United Kingdom
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