India, US sign reciprocal defence pact

INDIA and the United States signed two significant defence agreements during Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's four-day visit to the US.

- MAYANK SINGH

The agreements include the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement about the assignment of liaison officers.

Rajnath also held a bilateral meeting on Friday with his US counterpart Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in Pentagon, Washington DC.

Under SOSA, a bilateral and non-binding agreement, the two sides have committed to providing reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence. This arrangement is designed to facilitate the acquisition of necessary industrial resources and resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs.

The agreement was signed by Samir Kumar Sinha, additional secretary and director general (acquisitions), from the Indian side, and Vic Ramdass, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy, on behalf of the US.