US and India Strengthen Defence Ties with New Reciprocal Support Agreement

The US and India have signed an agreement to provide priority support for defence goods and services, strengthening their strategic partnership. This arrangement seeks to ensure both nations can counter supply chain disruptions and enhance their national security. It was formalized during Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Washington DC.

The United States and India have officially signed an agreement to provide reciprocal priority support for defence-related goods and services. This strategic pact aims to ensure both countries can procure necessary industrial resources to address unanticipated supply chain disruptions, meeting critical national security demands.

This agreement, formalized during Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Washington DC, includes the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers. The SOSA was signed by Vic Ramdass for the US and Samir Kumar Sinha for India, making India the 18th partner of the US in this initiative.

Under this arrangement, the US and India pledge to prioritize each other’s requests for critical defence resources. The US will grant India assurances under its Defense Priorities and Allocations System, while India will establish a Code of Conduct with its industrial base. Additionally, the US Department of Defence emphasized that such agreements reinforce interoperability and streamline processes to mitigate supply chain issues.