U.S. Media: India and the UK Strengthen Defense Cooperation

Reference News Network reported on September 6 The Diplomat website published an article titled "India and the UK Promote Defense Cooperation Through Joint Development" on August 31, authored by Dinakar Peri, with the content summarized as follows:

India and the UK are set to sign two intergovernmental agreements concerning the installation of electric propulsion systems on Indian Navy vessels and the joint production of the "Meteor" lightweight multi-role missile. These agreements are significant measures for both countries to build long-term defense industrial cooperation and deepen their bilateral strategic partnership.

At the same time, the UK is also intensifying its efforts to reach another major agreement, planning to design and develop a jet engine for India's fifth-generation fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

The two countries are collaboratively advancing defense cooperation and seeking a long-term comprehensive agreement to solidify their partnership. This direction has been formally established under the ten-year "Defense Industrial Roadmap" announced last year within the "Vision 2035" framework. The roadmap focuses on deepening cooperation in advanced technologies and complex weaponry, and supports innovation and joint development through collaborative projects such as advanced core technologies for jet engines. It also calls for increased R&D investment to develop new capabilities such as underwater systems and directed energy weapons.

The expanding military cooperation, joint exercises, and research collaboration will further broaden the scope of cooperation between the UK and India.

The upcoming intergovernmental agreements aim to develop and equip an integrated all-electric propulsion system for four Indian Navy landing dock ships. Currently, the independent bidding process for these landing ships is underway.

The Indian Navy aims to expand its fleet to 200 vessels by 2035. Some of the existing vessels may be retrofitted with electric propulsion systems. The integrated all-electric propulsion system can significantly enhance operational efficiency. The Royal Navy has already mastered this technology and has deployed it on several frontline vessels, including aircraft carriers.

Once the agreement is finalized, it will deepen UK-India cooperation for decades to come. However, India's procurement process has always been lengthy, and whether the integrated all-electric propulsion system can be implemented depends on whether the landing dock ship project can be completed smoothly within a reasonable timeframe.

India is seeking global partners to jointly design and develop a jet engine with a thrust of 120 kilonewtons, to be equipped on the AMCA-Mk2 fighter jet. Although negotiations between France's Safran Group and the Indian Gas Turbine Research Establishment have been ongoing for years, the slow progress has created opportunities for the UK's Rolls-Royce International and the US's General Electric.

On August 14, Rolls-Royce announced a partnership with India's Reliance Industries to explore the establishment of a dedicated aerospace gas turbine complex in India. This move significantly enhances the competitiveness of Rolls-Royce's collaboration proposal.

However, several practical issues have emerged that will determine India's choice of partners. For example, although the UK side has stated that the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations do not apply to the engine cooperation project as an intergovernmental agreement, concerns remain in Indian policy circles regarding the UK-US alliance and its potential impact on future transactions. (Translation/ Zhu Jie)