Efforts to support military cooperation between India and Britain continue to grow, particularly under the conviction of the Prime Ministers of both countries regarding the necessity of enhancing their defense collaboration. This trend was recently highlighted when the British Indian Business Council hosted a delegation of senior representatives from the British Ministry of Defence, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and leading defense companies, in New Delhi on September 20, 2024. The aim of this meeting was to bolster the bilateral partnership in the defense industry and reaffirm India’s position as a strategic partner.
During the meeting, representatives from both countries discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in defense technology between companies in India and Britain. They explored specific areas for cooperation and encouraged more joint ventures between British and Indian firms, emphasizing the role of emerging and critical technologies in the defense sector.
Multiple Indicators
There are several indicators demonstrating the growing defense cooperation between Britain and India, the most significant of which are as follows:
Increased Official Visits: There have been positive developments in bilateral relations throughout 2024. For instance, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and the head of Indian external intelligence visited the United Kingdom in January 2024 after a 22-year hiatus. This visit resulted in a memorandum of understanding to establish a bilateral international student exchange program and discussions on defense cooperation in research and development. Simultaneously, foreign ministers and national security advisers from both countries have been meeting regularly. On the other hand, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited New Delhi in July 2024, marking his first trip to the Indo-Pacific region. The new British government, led by Keir Starmer, seeks to maintain its commitment to this region, where the UK has significant economic interests, and to recalibrate the comprehensive partnership between the two countries in critical areas such as trade, defense, security, clean energy, new technologies, digital realms, and people-to-people mobility.
Reviewing the 2030 Roadmap for Cooperation: Although there has been no significant cooperation between India and the UK regarding defense capabilities since the signing of the roadmap in May 2021 under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during Lammy’s visit to India in July 2024, the ministers from both countries reviewed the “2030 Roadmap.” This ten-year framework aims to expand relations in key areas of trade, economy, defense, security, climate change, and communications. The review is intended to strengthen the partnership, particularly in defense technology and economic growth.
Focus on Technology and Communication Cooperation: As part of the India-UK agreement on a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021 and the associated 2030 roadmap, both countries are collaborating on various initiatives involving advanced military technologies, cybersecurity, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Since late 2022, there has been an increased level of investment in artificial intelligence between the two nations. Moreover, industrial relations in the communications sector have expanded; for example, in August 2024, Indian company Bharti Global acquired a 24.5% stake in the British BT Group, becoming the largest shareholder in the multinational company. In this context, India and the UK unveiled a technological security initiative in August 2024 aimed at enhancing international cooperation between the two nations while driving economic growth. This initiative is the first of its kind to facilitate collaboration in the supply chain across these sectors. It seeks to elevate the strategic partnership by accelerating bilateral security technology cooperation in specific areas such as communications, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, health technology, and advanced materials.
Development of Joint Defense Technologies: Since the beginning of 2024, the UK has been working on developing joint defense technologies that reduce India’s dependence on foreign exports. The goals of British companies align with India’s ambitions, assisting in the development of next-generation weapon systems for India’s defense and law enforcement sectors while manufacturing small arms in India to combat extremist threats and enhance global security. British firms are also developing short-range missiles for air defense systems and providing advanced training and simulation systems for pilot training. The UK stands as the third-largest arms exporter globally, highlighting its role in Indian defense procurement, especially since India is one of the largest importers of British defense equipment.
Expanding Naval Defense and Security Cooperation: Naval military cooperation between the UK and India has grown, with the Royal Navy conducting six maritime visits to India in 2023. The Southern Coastal Response Group conducted exercises with the Indian Navy in March 2024. A British aircraft carrier group is expected to visit India again in 2025 following its first journey to the Indian and Pacific Oceans in 2021. Concurrently, British companies are collaborating with India to produce underwater warfare equipment for both Indian and global markets, while the UK and India have established a forum to accelerate the transfer of electric propulsion technology to the Indian Navy.
Conducting Joint Military Exercises: Both countries have worked to enhance their joint military exercises. For example, in August 2024, the Royal Air Force joined the Indian Air Force along with counterparts from Germany, Spain, and France in the first phase of the Indian Air Force’s first multilateral exercise, known as “Tarang Shakti.” In a significant development, an Indian naval officer joined the Royal Navy as a training officer for the first time at the Royal Naval College.
Key Drivers
Several key factors have contributed to the acceleration of defense cooperation between the United Kingdom and India, particularly after the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won the elections and Narendra Modi was re-elected for a new term as India’s Prime Minister. These factors can be summarized as follows:
Firstly, both countries’ leaderships are eager to enhance bilateral relations. The new governments in both Britain and India have created a favorable context for developing defense and technological cooperation. The visit of British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to India in July 2024, shortly after the new British government took office, sent a clear signal to New Delhi about its commitment to establishing a free trade agreement between the two nations. In a speech made shortly before the elections, Cleverly emphasized the importance of recalibrating Britain’s relations with southern countries, noting that the Labour Party is ready to advance the free trade agreement with India, considering it a baseline for supporting relations rather than a ceiling.
At the same time, Modi’s government in New Delhi is keen to maintain momentum toward a free trade agreement with Britain during its third term. Modi reiterated his commitment to enhancing bilateral relations at the start of his third term. It appears that the new British government has a strong desire to build upon the achievements of previous Conservative administrations, particularly the 2030 roadmap for bilateral relations and the establishment of the first “2+2” dialogue (involving foreign and defense ministers) between the two countries, as well as strengthening the partnership in cybersecurity.
Secondly, India continues its efforts towards achieving self-reliance. The country aims to develop local military capabilities in the Indian Ocean region and create joint defense and export opportunities globally. Over the past decade, India has significantly altered its arms procurement policies to reduce direct imports while promoting local defense manufacturing. Shortly after taking office in September 2014, Prime Minister Modi launched the “Make in India” policy, later implementing the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India) policy in May 2020. While “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” supports local manufacturing and exports, it emphasizes enhancing India’s defense industrial base through foreign cooperation in defense technology, including joint development and encouraging foreign funding for domestic research and development. Following the outbreak of the Ukraine war in February 2022, the rationale for India’s self-reliance became stronger, especially as the conflict disrupted supply chains and delayed the import of Russian weapons and equipment.
Thirdly, the rise of Chinese military power presents a challenge for both Britain and India. China’s military expansion in the Indian Ocean has prompted both nations to realign their strategic priorities, as China’s ascent poses a threat to both India and British interests. The Indian Navy requires several capabilities to address the deficiencies it faces against the Chinese navy. Securing key technologies was integral to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the UK in January 2024, aimed at helping address the technological gaps faced by the Indian Navy in countering Chinese advancements.
Fourthly, there is a concerted effort to reduce India’s dependence on Russian military equipment. The UK government supports India’s plans to develop its defense industry, which would help lessen its reliance on Russian military hardware. In April 2022, the UK issued an open general export license to India—the first of its kind granted to a nation in the Indo-Pacific region—allowing the export of certain military goods and dual-use technologies.
Fifthly, shared strategic objectives in the Indo-Pacific region play a vital role. The UK is leveraging a logistics support agreement signed with India to expand military engagements, particularly in maritime operations. It aims to enhance its capabilities and presence in the Indo-Pacific. For instance, a British warship underwent essential maintenance for the first time in April 2024 at a shipyard owned by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in Kattupalli during a visit by the Royal Navy’s Southern Response Group (LRG-S) to India. This crucial logistical partnership supports longer deployments of British capabilities in the region, highlighting the UK’s growing interest in the Indo-Pacific.
Additionally, the mutual desire for knowledge sharing is a central component of the strategic partnership between London and New Delhi, contributing to the goals outlined in the UK-India Roadmap 2030. Following the announcement of plans to deploy a carrier strike group to the Indian Ocean in 2025, British strategic leadership expressed support for the developing relationship between the UK and India. For instance, Major General James Roddis, Director of Strategy, engaged with participants from India’s Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC), focusing on recent defense developments in the UK, including the latest integrated review and the most recent Defense Command Paper, while also highlighting potential joint opportunities in cybersecurity and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in defense.
Lastly, the UK seeks to keep pace with other Western nations in supporting defense cooperation with India. The UK faces strong competition from other countries aiming to establish lucrative trade relationships with India. For instance, France and the United States have signed defense deals with New Delhi and hosted Modi and the Indian Defense Minister during high-level visits in 2022 and 2023. In contrast, the Indian Defense Minister had not visited the UK for nearly 22 years until early 2024.
Moreover, the UK is working on policies that encourage foreign investment in India. The UK India Business Council and its members have praised significant political reforms undertaken by the Indian government in recent years, which have stimulated numerous partnerships. The Indian government has sought to promote foreign direct investment in the defense sector by increasing the legal cap on foreign ownership of most projects from 49% to 74%. This development has encouraged non-Indian defense companies to participate in Indian defense procurements while retaining ownership of technology transfer operations. Consequently, British firms are beginning to see India as a comprehensive strategic partner in research, technology, and supply chains. British companies may benefit from cost-effective manufacturing in India, while India can accelerate its industrial development with support from large defense markets like the UK.
Lastly, the UK is exploring alternative markets following its exit from the European Union. The UK’s share of 3.6% in the Indian defense market does not reflect its global status and capabilities and stands in stark contrast to its defense trade partnerships elsewhere. By comparison, France is the largest arms exporter to India after Russia, accounting for 33% of arms imports during the 2019-2023 period. The UK has struggled to secure a major sale to India since the 2014 contract with MBDA for advanced short-range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAM) for Jaguar fighter jets. In this context, London is seeking to gain new advantages by engaging with various international partners, including India, to compensate for its exit from the EU.
Current Challenges
Defense cooperation between the UK and India faces numerous obstacles that could hinder their collaborative efforts. These challenges stem from concerns raised in both the private and public sectors in the UK regarding the potential transfer of sensitive technologies from India to Russia, especially in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine. This is compounded by the traditional defense partnership between Russia and India, as well as existing strategic programs. Additional issues include intellectual property rights in the UK, technology transfer, export licensing processes, and the bureaucratic complexities within India, which impose strict requirements concerning the level of local content necessary for defense manufacturing.
To overcome these challenges, it is essential to reach settlements between the UK and India to resolve their contentious issues and agree on the necessary political reforms that would equitably support defense cooperation while safeguarding the interests of both nations. For instance, the defense partnership between India and the UK has introduced the initiative for an Open General Export License (OGEL) aimed at simplifying procurement processes in the defense sector. This initiative seeks to reduce bureaucracy and expedite delivery times. In terms of foreign policy, both nations have acknowledged their differing stances on the war between Russia and Ukraine, while increasingly aligning on their views regarding China.
In conclusion, the renewed cooperation between India and the UK represents a significant step toward strengthening their strategic partnership in defense, security, and other areas. Notably, their recent collaboration in maritime security and joint military exercises clearly reflects a rapid shift towards enhancing ties, driven by the political will in both countries to move forward.
