New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to embark on a significant three-day visit to the UK, marking a substantial development in bilateral defence and security partnerships, especially since the last ministerial-level visit occurred 22 years ago. The visit, previously scheduled in June 2022, holds significance, having been highly anticipated after its cancellation for "protocol reasons." Singh is expected to engage in comprehensive discussions with UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, inspect a ceremonial Guard of Honour, and pay visits to the Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B.R. Ambedkar memorials in London.
This visit is not only crucial in terms of optics but also holds substance. It signifies the first visit by India's defence minister to the UK in over two decades, indicating an improvement in India's political relationship and trust-building with the UK. Analysts emphasize the substantive aspect, aiming to deepen military cooperation and defence industrial partnerships. This builds on the momentum gained from the November 2023 Defence Consultative Group (DCG) meeting in Delhi and the inaugural meeting of the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Dialogue in October 2023.
While India-UK defence ties have evolved, addressing ongoing concerns such as pro-Khalistan violence in the UK and legacy issues on defence supplies, the focus remains on operationalizing India's Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat agenda in the defence sector. The visit holds promise for strengthening India-UK defence collaboration, particularly through ongoing projects with Rolls-Royce, GE (Naval) UK, and MBDA (UK).
Against the backdrop of both countries preparing for general elections and the prospect of a free trade agreement (FTA), the visit assumes even greater significance. Aspects like the Open General Export Licence (OGEL) announced by Boris Johnson during his 2022 visit are expected to feature prominently in discussions. The OGEL aims to streamline defence procurement, reducing bureaucracy and enhancing the GBP 36-billion bilateral partnership between India and the UK.
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