India, UK Hold 25th Defence Consultative Group Talks in New Delhi

India and the United Kingdom convened the 25th meeting of the Defence Consultative Group in New Delhi on Friday, with both sides reviewing ongoing defence industrial cooperation and prioritising research and development under the India-UK Vision 2035 and the 10-year Defence Industrial Roadmap.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh led the Indian delegation, while Jeremy Pocklington, Permanent Under Secretary for Defence of the UK, headed the British side. The meeting marked Pocklington's first visit to India in his current capacity.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the two sides agreed to expand bilateral exchanges between their armed forces through joint exercises, training programmes, and capacity-building initiatives. They also acknowledged the robust maritime security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific, including the establishment of the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

The secretaries exchanged views on regional peace and security, reaffirming their commitment to mutual security and strategic autonomy. Both sides reiterated that the India-UK Strategic Partnership is founded on shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect.

Before the meeting, Pocklington paid tribute at the National War Memorial, visited the Gandhi Smriti Museum and the National Defence College, and held a bilateral interaction with General N S Raja Subramani, the Chief of Defence Staff. The visit underscored the longstanding defence cooperation between the two countries and the regular exchange of views on issues of mutual interest.