UKIBC Report Lays Strategic Roadmap for Deepening India-UK Defence Cooperation

 

Policy, Procurement, and Partnerships Take Centre Stage

Introduction: A New Chapter in Bilateral Defence Strategy

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) has released a comprehensive report that outlines a strategic framework for enhancing defence cooperation between the United Kingdom and India. This timely intervention comes at a moment when India’s defence manufacturing sector is booming, guided by national missions such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. The UKIBC’s recommendations are designed to strengthen both government-to-government (G2G) collaboration and industry-to-industry linkages across critical defence and aerospace domains.

UKIBC’s Institutional Role and Strategic Vision

As a policy advocacy and strategic consulting non-profit, UKIBC plays a crucial role in advancing trade and investment between the UK and India. The latest report builds upon academic studies, government reports, industry insights, and expert interviews to identify opportunity gaps hindering UK firms in India’s defence sector—and more importantly, suggests actionable steps to overcome them.


Key Recommendations from the Report

The report lays down a multi-pronged roadmap for the UK government and defence firms, including:

  • Setting up a UK-India Defence MSME Hub
    To enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to tap into defence supply chains and co-create value.

  • Promoting Co-Development and Co-Production
    UKIBC recommends that UK companies engage in joint R&D, custom solutions development, and shared IP creation with Indian firms to enhance technological and strategic alignment.

  • Strengthening G2G Strategic Communication
    This includes more frequent dialogues on defence strategy, procurement, and interoperability.

  • Investing in Local R&D and Manufacturing
    UK companies are encouraged to invest directly in India’s defence corridors, enabling access to procurement pipelines and ensuring long-term stakeholder presence.

  • Embedding India in Global Supply Chains
    UK firms should consider building India-centric value chains, making India a manufacturing and sourcing base for global markets.

UKIBC’s Vision: Long-Term, Value-Centric Partnerships

UKIBC’s India Chair, Kishore Jayaraman, OBE, emphasized that India’s ambition to become a global defence manufacturing hub offers an immense opportunity for the UK. He stated:

“The message is clear—those who invest in long-term partnerships, local capability, and joint innovation will be best placed to succeed.”

He further noted that trusted bilateral relations, underpinned by shared democratic values, can lay the foundation for the next generation of defence and aerospace technologies.

India’s Defence Ecosystem: A Landscape of Opportunity

India is actively setting up defence and aerospace hubs, attracting both public and private sector investment. The country has already shown readiness to share critical defence and aerospace knowledge with global partners. With enhanced policy support and incentives, India is well on its way to becoming a strategic defence exporter.

In FY 2024–25, India’s defence exports surged to ₹23,622 crore, with projections to reach ₹50,000 crore annually by 2029, according to data from the Ministry of Defence. Exports include a range of products—from ammunition and arms to subsystems and components—distributed across 80 countries.

Aligning with India’s Procurement Ecosystem

Another focal point of the report is helping UK firms adapt to India’s Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP). At the same time, it proposes that India refine its procurement guidelines to better facilitate foreign-indigenous partnerships, especially in high-tech sectors like:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Cybersecurity

  • Aerospace Technologies

This dual recommendation ensures mutual responsiveness between UK exporters and Indian policy frameworks.

Conclusion: An Era of Strategic Defence Convergence

With geopolitical shifts, a changing global security environment, and India’s focus on self-reliance, defence diplomacy is now central to bilateral relations between the UK and India. The UKIBC report serves as a strategic manual for stakeholders, urging collaborative innovation, regulatory adaptation, and investment in local capability.

If successfully implemented, these steps could not only boost bilateral defence trade but also contribute meaningfully to global peace, security, and resilience in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.


Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India

Comments

Post a Comment