UK and India to forge closer defence technology ties

The UK and India are set to finalise a Letter of Arrangement between the UK's Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and India's Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).

UK Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin confirmed the planned technology agreement in response to a written parliamentary question on 17 May.

Quin wrote: 'The UK and India are due to finalise a Letter of Arrangement between the UK's Defence Science & Technology Laboratory and India's Defence Research & Development Organisation.

'This will help to deliver advanced security capabilities through joint research, co-design, co-development and joint production of defence technology and systems.'

According to a joint UK-India statement published in late April, the Dstl-DRDO partnership will focus on 'key and emerging military technologies'.

During a visit to India in April, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a 'new and expanded' Defence and Security Partnership that he said would allow India to strengthen its domestic defence industry.

The two countries have established a joint working group on India-UK electric propulsion capability partnership to foster military and industrial collaboration on maritime electric propulsion systems.

To support defence and security collaboration with India over the next decade, the UK plans to issue an Open General Export Licence (OGEL) to India, reducing bureaucracy and shortening delivery times for defence procurement.

The OGEL is the UK's first in the Indo-Pacific.