Editorial of the Day: Crafting a New Phase in India-U.K. Defence Ties

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Context: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the U.K. reflects growing Indo-U.K. collaboration which is driven by concerns over China’s military expansion in the Indian Ocean and its impact on global maritime routes.

Key Highlight Of The Recent Visit

Addressing Capability Gaps in the Indian Navy: The visit focused on addressing the technological shortfalls the Indian Navy faces compared to the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China.
Securing Key Technologies: The visit aimed at securing advanced technologies, particularly in naval capabilities, to enhance India’s defensive posture.
Cooperation in Electric Propulsion for Aircraft Carriers: A significant aspect of the visit was to collaborate on electric propulsion technology for aircraft carriers, a field which the U.K. has expertise.
- To strengthen the “India-UK electric propulsion capability partnership” formed in February 2023 for technology transfer and expertise sharing.
  - The partnership includes British support in training, equipping, and infrastructure development for integrating electric propulsion systems in Indian Navy warships.
- Joint Military Exercises and Defense Cooperation: The visit aimed to enhance defence cooperation through joint military exercises and increased interoperability between the two countries’ navies.
- Addressing Regional Geopolitical Concerns: The visit was part of a broader strategy to forge closer defence ties in response to China’s growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Reaffirming U.K.’s Military Presence in the Region: The U.K.’s commitment to deploy military groups for training and interoperability with the Indian Navy reaffirms its military involvement in the region, reviving its presence East of Suez.

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Challenges In Collaboration

Dual Arms Supply to India and Pakistan: The U.K.’s practice of supplying weapons to both India and Pakistan, sometimes even restricting arms exports, casts doubt on its strategic intentions and objectives in South Asia.
Sikh Separatism Concerns: The ongoing issues related to Khalistan, particularly accusations of the U.K. providing refuge to separatists, continue to pose a challenge in bilateral relations.