India, UK Strengthen Defence Partnership During Ministerial Talks in Mumbai

In another stride toward deepening defence and strategic cooperation, Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth held a bilateral meeting with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Defence (Minister for the House of Lords), Mr Vernon Coaker, in Mumbai. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the visit of the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) to India, reflecting the growing strategic synergy and operational cooperation between the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region.

Strengthening Defence Engagements Amid Growing Strategic Trust

During the discussions, both ministers conducted a comprehensive review of ongoing defence engagements, including bilateral exercises, industrial cooperation, and maritime security initiatives, while exploring new avenues to expand collaboration in technology, innovation, and global supply chains.

Shri Sanjay Seth expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of the sea phase of the bilateral maritime exercise Konkan–25, conducted between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales. The exercise took place off India’s western coast and featured a range of naval operations, tactical manoeuvres, and interoperability drills.

The CSG is now participating in the harbour phase activities at Mumbai and Goa, which include professional interactions, cultural exchanges, and ship visits aimed at further enhancing people-to-people and institutional linkages between the two navies.

“Operational engagements like Exercise Konkan are key to enhancing mutual understanding of operational philosophies and strengthening interoperability between our maritime forces,” Shri Seth stated.

Advancing a Shared Vision for the Indo-Pacific

The meeting also reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and the United Kingdom to ensure a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Both sides reiterated the importance of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to uphold freedom of navigation, regional stability, and collective security.

“India and the UK, as leading democracies and maritime powers, share a common responsibility to uphold the principles of the rules-based international order. Our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific reflects this shared vision,” the Raksha Rajya Mantri said.

Mr Vernon Coaker commended India’s growing role in ensuring regional maritime security and praised the professionalism and capabilities of the Indian Navy during the joint exercise. He expressed the UK’s readiness to expand joint training, capacity building, and technology collaboration under the India-UK Defence Partnership Framework.

Boosting Industrial and Technological Collaboration

A key focus of the talks was industrial collaboration and co-development under India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). Shri Sanjay Seth highlighted India’s achievements in indigenous manufacturing, pointing out that the nation’s expanding defence industrial base now offers reliable opportunities for joint production and export-oriented partnerships.

“India is moving rapidly towards self-reliance in defence production, with significant success in the design and manufacture of ships, aircraft, missiles, and electronic systems. The UK can play a valuable role as a technology and innovation partner in this journey,” Shri Seth noted.

Both ministers discussed ways to integrate supply chains, enhance joint research and development (R&D), and explore collaborative opportunities for start-ups and MSMEs in the defence ecosystem.

They agreed that greater cooperation in emerging domains—including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, and maritime domain awareness—will be central to the next phase of the India-UK partnership.

Reinforcing the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The meeting reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to advancing the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which provides the overarching framework for bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and security dimensions.

The ministers also reviewed progress under the ‘India-UK Vision 2035’, adopted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom in July 2025, which aims to strengthen collaboration across defence, trade, education, green technology, and digital innovation.

“Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has transformed the India-UK relationship into a truly global partnership — one that contributes not just to our mutual security, but to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” Shri Seth said.

Mr Coaker echoed this sentiment, describing India as a “natural and trusted partner” in shaping a secure and stable maritime environment. He also welcomed India’s growing engagement in regional multilateral frameworks such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Maritime Cooperation at the Core of Strategic Alignment

The visit of the UK Carrier Strike Group—led by HMS Prince of Wales and comprising several support vessels, aircraft, and personnel—symbolises the growing operational synergy between the Indian and British armed forces. The CSG’s presence in Indian waters demonstrates the shared resolve to ensure collective maritime security and enhance joint readiness in critical sea lanes.

During the Konkan–25 exercise, both navies undertook complex manoeuvres, anti-submarine warfare simulations, air defence coordination, and cross-deck operations, strengthening their ability to operate together in real-world scenarios. The harbour phase includes joint technical discussions, professional seminars, and youth engagement programmes, reinforcing the human dimension of defence diplomacy.

Looking Ahead: A Shared Commitment to Security and Innovation

The meeting concluded with both ministers expressing optimism about the future trajectory of India-UK defence relations. They reiterated that the partnership will continue to focus on innovation-driven cooperation, supply chain resilience, and capacity building to enhance regional stability.

“India and the UK are entering a new era of strategic collaboration — one that is forward-looking, technologically advanced, and rooted in shared values of democracy, freedom, and global peace,” Shri Sanjay Seth concluded.

The visit of the UK Carrier Strike Group and the convening of this high-level meeting in Mumbai underscore the maturing of the India-UK defence partnership, signalling a collective determination to shape a secure, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.