NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — The India-US Defense Accelerator Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit commenced in New Delhi, signaling a significant stride in collaborative defense innovation between the two nations. Established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, INDUS-X has been instrumental in fostering bilateral ties in defense innovation.
This two-day summit, organized by Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX) under the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the US Department of Defense (DoD), in partnership with the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers (SIDM), aims to drive strategic technology partnerships and defense industrial cooperation.
With a focus on advancing bilateral defense innovation and collaboration, the INDUS-X Summit seeks to capitalize on emerging opportunities, drawing stakeholders from both nations to explore avenues for cooperation. The event represents a pivotal moment for enhancing defense innovation and setting the stage for future technological advancements and strategic partnerships.
The summit agenda includes insightful sessions designed to chart the future trajectory of US-India defense relations, fostering collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange among defense innovation stakeholders from governments, academic and research organizations, investors, defense start-ups, technology incubators, industry associations, and other stakeholders.
INDUS-X, akin to the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) initiated during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, aims to break information silos, build networks of cooperation, and reduce bureaucratic and regulatory friction between the two defense ministries. With the potential to become one of the most consequential cooperation frameworks between the US and India, INDUS-X underscores the commitment of both nations to advancing defense innovation and bolstering strategic cooperation.
Over the past few years, India and the US have deepened their defense and strategic ties through key agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in October 2020. These agreements facilitate interoperability, sharing of military technology, logistics, and geospatial maps, further strengthening bilateral defense cooperation.
