India, Saudi Arabia Eye Joint Defence Production to Boost Ties

• India and Saudi Arabia discussed training, joint exercises, and industrial partnerships
• Focus on cyberspace, IT, disaster management, and tactical communication
• Moving from buyer-seller ties to joint defence development and production

India and Saudi Arabia held high-level talks recently aimed at scaling up defence cooperation, demonstrating the growing strategic partnership.

The discussion took place in New Delhi while meeting under the India-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation and was co-chaired by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad and Major General Saad Mohammed H. Alkathiri.

The defence ministry said discussions were held on a wide range of topics, including joint military exercises and training, industry cooperation, and maritime security. India offered support training for Saudi armed forces and cooperation in emerging areas, including cyberspace, information technology, tactical communication, and disaster management.

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In a statement, the ministry shared a "steadily deepening defence partnership", stating, "Opportunities were explored for joint manufacturing and partnership in defence equipment with Saudi Arabia".

The talks come in the wake of the establishment of a ministerial committee discussing defence cooperation under the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council, which was established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Riyadh in April and has now given fresh momentum to bilateral defence relations.

The relationship between India and Saudi Arabia has expanded considerably in recent years, with defence and security clearly considered one of the pillars in addition to energy and trade. These latest talks demonstrate a desire on both sides to shift from the traditional buyer-seller mode of relationship and advance to joint development and co-production of sophisticated defence technologies to deepen strategic relationships over the term.