Gen Manoj Pande, reviewed Sovereign’s Parade at prestigious Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's UK visit comes in the wake of several high-profile interactions between military leaders from both countries, indicating a concerted effort to bolster collaboration.

In a significant move to bolster the longstanding defence cooperation between India and the United Kingdom, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to embark on a visit to the UK in just about a week's time. The key visit aims to deepen ties and enhance strategic partnerships in the realm of defence. This will also be Rajnath Singh's first visit to UK in his capacity as defence minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.

The focal point of minister Singh's visit will be discussions with his British counterpart, UK Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon Grant Shapps. The talks are expected to cover a wide range of bilateral issues, with a particular emphasis on strengthening defence engagement between the two nations. This visit comes in the wake of several high-profile interactions between military leaders from both countries, indicating a concerted effort to bolster collaboration.

The trajectory of increased defence engagements is underscored by recent visits from top military officials. In August 2023, Army Chief General Manoj Pande became the first Chief of the Army Staff from India to represent the Sovereign at the prestigious 201st Sovereign's Parade of commissioning course 223 at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.


Furthermore, the military collaboration extends to joint exercises such as Ex Ajeya Warrior, a biennial event at the company group level alternately hosted in India and the UK. The 7th edition of Ex Ajeya Warrior took place at Salisbury Plain Training Area from April to May.

Naval cooperation has been a notable facet, with both countries participating in Exercise Konkan. The latest edition, held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea in March, aimed at increasing interoperability between the Indian and British navies. British Naval ships, including HMS Lancaster and HMS Tamar, also visited Indian ports of Kochi and Chennai, further solidifying maritime ties.

The aerial domain witnessed collaboration as well, with the Indian Air Force participating in Ex Cobra Warrior 2023, a multinational air exercise hosted at RAF Waddington, UK, in March. This exchange showcased the prowess and interoperability of the respective air forces.

The strengthening of ties was evident during the Defence Consultative Group meeting in October, where defence secretaries from both the nations explored new areas for defence industrial cooperation. The discussions delved into emerging domains such as cyber and artificial intelligence, reflecting the evolving nature of modern defence collaboration.

Earlier in the year, External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar visited the UK during Diwali, further cementing diplomatic relations. In September, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also visited New Delhi for the G20 summit.