New Delhi. The highlight of the two-day INDUS-X Summit, held on September 9 and 10 was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the US Department of Defence’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU).
This agreement is expected to foster greater cooperation in defence innovation, enabling joint research, industry partnerships, and investment between the two nations.
The launch of a new challenge under INDUS-X at the summit, is aimed at encouraging startups and MSMEs to develop next-generation defence technologies. The release of the INDUS-X Impact Report, which showcased progress since the initiative’s inception in June 2023, and the unveiling of the official INDUS-X webpage on both iDEX and DIU websites, were other notable outcomes.
This agreement assumes immense importance as the QUAD Summit will also see the American President Joseph R Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding bilateral meeting.
An MoU was signed between iDEX and the Defence Innovation Unit of the US DoD, to increase co-operation in defence innovation and deepen collaboration to facilitate industry, research, and investment partnerships among the stakeholders at the INDUS-X Summit
2024 is indeed immensely significant, as so far in the year we have seen Modi meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin too, showing the importance that Modi attaches to maintain equidistance from all world leaders, in spite of his personal rapport with them.
“President Joseph R Biden Jr will host the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday, September 21. The President looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was quoted as saying.
“This will be President Biden’s first time hosting foreign leaders in Wilmington as president – a reflection of his deep personal relationships with each of the Quad Leaders, and the importance of the Quad to all of our countries. In recent years, Quad Foreign Ministers have met eight times, and Quad governments continue to meet and coordinate at all levels.” she added.
Another important factor is that the QUAD summit takes place at a crucial time, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US next week, where his bilateral meeting with US President before the summit could be a key talking point during their discussions, as both nations continue to build on their defence partnership.
2024 is indeed immensely significant, as so far in the year we have seen Modi meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin too, showing the importance that Modi attaches to maintain equidistance from all world leaders
Modi’s visit to the US is indeed of important value especially in the context of the growing defence collaboration between the two countries. During the Modi-Biden bilateral, they would be discussing a wide range of strategic issues, with defence cooperation expected to be a major focus. The outcomes of the INDUS-X Summit, including the MoU and other initiatives, may serve as a foundation for further enhancing bilateral ties in defence technology.
Both countries have been steadily working to strengthen their strategic partnership, with an emphasis on innovation, emerging technologies, and security. This is evident in the focus of the INDUS-X Summit, which brought together experts from both countries’ defence industries, startups, academia, and policy-making institutions to discuss future trends, funding opportunities, and ways to strengthen supply chains in defence.
Launched during Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, the INDUS-X initiative has been instrumental in fostering collaboration between the two countries in the field of defence innovation. The third edition of the summit provided a platform for startups, MSMEs, and experts from both nations to showcase cutting-edge technologies and engage in critical discussions on how to enhance defence capabilities.
Modi’s visit to the US is indeed of important value especially in the context of the growing defence collaboration between the two countries. During the Modi-Biden bilateral, they would be discussing a wide range of strategic issues, with defence cooperation expected to be a major focus
The MoU signed between iDEX and DIU underscores the commitment of both nations to push forward with innovation in defence. By creating opportunities for joint research and industrial cooperation, the MoU is expected to accelerate advancements in key areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, and drone technology.
Moreover, the new challenge launched under INDUS-X is designed to incentivise startups and smaller companies to contribute to defence innovation, providing them with the support needed to develop next-generation technologies. This initiative aims to create a robust defence ecosystem that can address the evolving security challenges faced by both India and the US.
– The writer is a senior journalist and media consultant. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda.
