New Delhi: United Kingdom’s Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Tony Radakin, who is on a three-day visit to India, Monday said India and the UK are “natural partners” in a world that is “more contested and volatile”, at a time the armed forces of both countries are undergoing the process of modernisation.
On Monday, Radakin met his Indian counterpart General Anil Chauhan and discussed ways to further expand ties in all the domains. He also held wide-ranging meetings with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Hari Kumar, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, and Additional Secretary, Defence Production, T Natarajan, the British High Commission said in a statement.
“My visit to India reflects the United Kingdom’s belief that our security is indivisible from that of the wider world. As a global trading nation it matters to the UK that the Indo-Pacific is open and free, which is why the British Armed Forces is establishing the broadest and most integrated presence in the region of any European nation,” said Radakin.
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He added, “India and the UK are natural partners in a world that is becoming more contested and volatile. We share many of the same democratic instincts and values and are both committed to the rule of law.”
During the visit, Admiral Radakin will be meeting various establishments of the Indian armed forces across the country, in order to expand military-to-military engagement and explore opportunities around the co-creation of future technologies.
“We are respected military powers, both undergoing significant investment and modernisation, and exercising together across, land, sea and air. But we can do more. I value the opportunity to meet with General Anil Chauhan to discuss how we can develop our partnership in a way that benefits our mutual security and prosperity,” the Admiral said.
The armed forces of both the UK and India are also collaborating in research, development and training.
Joint Exercise Ajeya Warrior Later This Month
Following the signing of an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2019, discussions around industrial collaboration in the aerospace sector have been progressing, with the UK Minister for Defence Procurement visiting in February and the First Sea Lord visiting in March, the British High Commission said.
According to Ben Wallace, Defence Secretary, UK, “India is a valued defence partner for the UK and our relationship continues to flourish across our research and industrial sectors. Both our nations are committed to the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific and we continue to train and operate alongside our Indian partners to promote security in the region.”
Joint military exercises have also seen major uptick in the recent years between army, navy and air forces of both countries, thereby developing interoperability and joint tactics.
Recently, HMS Lancaster visited Kochi to train alongside the Indian Navy as part of Exercise Konkan. Apart from that, five Mirage 2000 fighters were flown by Indian Air Force pilots in the Royal Air Force’s largest aerial exercise in the UK — Exercise Cobra Warrior.
Later this month, the Indian Army will be deploying its soldiers to the UK to take part in Exercise Ajeya Warrior, training alongside the British Army.
The visit of the CDS also coincides with that of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Royal Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston, the UK High Commission stated.
‘More Contested And Volatile World’
In March this year, the UK released ‘Integrated Review Refresh 2023’, upgrading its 2021 strategic and foreign policy document in which it stated that the UK will support India’s bid to become a permanent member in a reformed UN Security Council.
The policy also stated that the UK will “more closely align” with the Indo-Pacific strategies of India, Canada, France and Germany among others.
Under the document, the UK had also stated that with India Britain will focus on “strengthening our defence and security partnership, progressing collaboration on technology and leading the maritime security pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative”.
Earlier this month, HMS Tamar concluded its patrol in the Indian Ocean where it made multiple port calls in India at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chennai and Visakhapatnam.