New Delhi, February 6: The 24th meeting of the India-US joint technical group was held in New Delhi. The primary aim of this meeting was to enhance collaboration between India and the United States in defense science and emerging technologies.
Emphasizing the need to strengthen cooperation in light of evolving security requirements, the meeting also focused on increasing involvement from universities, defense laboratories, and industries in research and development. Discussions included potential collaborations on new technologies between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the US Defense Innovation Unit.
At the conclusion of the meeting, a project agreement was signed. This session took place at the DRDO headquarters and was co-chaired by DRDO senior official Dr. Chandrika Kaushik and Michael Francis Dodd from the US Department of Defense.
This meeting was part of an agreement signed in October 2025 by India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and the US Secretary of War. The historic defense partnership agreement was signed during a meeting between Singh and US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth, which established a 10-year framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership.
This framework is seen as a new milestone in defense cooperation between the two nations, marking the beginning of a new era in India-US defense relations. The Ministry of Defense stated that this framework would provide policy direction across the entire spectrum of India-US defense relations.
During the meeting at the DRDO headquarters, both countries reviewed their past collaborations in defense technology and discussed new and significant technologies for future joint efforts. Senior defense officials, scientists, and technical experts from both the US and India participated in this meeting.
Officials from the three branches of India’s armed forces, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the National Security Council were also present. This meeting is considered a crucial step towards further strengthening defense cooperation between India and the United States.