London: On the concluding day of his official visit to the United Kingdom, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh engaged with prominent leaders and CEOs of the UK Defence industry at the UK-India Defence Industry CEOs Roundtable held at Trinity House, London, on January 10. Co-chaired by Shri Rajnath Singh and UK Defence Minister Mr Grant Shapps, the roundtable gathered CEOs from key UK defense companies, UK Ministry of Defence officials, Chair of the UK India Business Council, and CII India representatives.
Notable firms such as BAE Systems, GE Vernova, James Fisher Defence, Leonardo S.p.A., Martin Baker Aircraft Company Ltd, SAAB UK, Thales UK, Ultra-Maritime Rolls-Royce, ADS Group, and MBDA UK were represented at the event.
The roundtable focused on thematic discussions aimed at strengthening the India-UK defense industrial relationship. During the discussions, Shri Rajnath Singh welcomed investment and technology collaboration from the UK. He emphasized India’s readiness with a skilled human resource base, a pro-FDI and pro-business ecosystem, and a vast domestic market.
The Raksha Mantri underscored India’s commitment to becoming a developed economy by 2047 under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He highlighted the clarity of vision and the collective willpower of India’s 1.4 billion citizens to achieve this goal.
Emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between India and the UK, Shri Rajnath Singh expressed the Indian government’s vision for an enriching partnership with the UK focused on cooperation, co-creation, and co-innovation. He stated, “By synergising the strengths of our nations, we can do great things together.”
UK Defence Minister Mr Grant Shapps echoed the sentiments, noting that the ties between the two countries go beyond a normal buyer-seller relationship and are fundamentally a strategic partnership.
Industry leaders from the UK outlined their current and future plans for India, identifying aero-engines, electric propulsion, missiles, power-packs, and maritime systems as key focus areas for joint collaboration. Shri Rajnath Singh acknowledged the enthusiasm of UK CEOs and business leaders to work in India and collaborate with Indian companies.
During the bilateral meeting on January 09, the two Defense Ministers emphasized enhancing defense industrial cooperation, leading to the signing of agreements, including an MoU on the conduct of a bilateral international cadet exchange program and a Letter of Arrangement between DRDO and UK’s DSTL on defense collaboration in research and development.
Apart from the defense-related engagements, Shri Rajnath Singh paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square and visited the Ambedkar House in London, honoring Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. He also visited the Sri Swaminarayan Temple at Neasden.
The Raksha Mantri is scheduled to meet UK PM Mr Rishi Sunak and UK Foreign Secretary Mr David Cameron later today, concluding his impactful visit to the United Kingdom.