Live demonstration by the Indian Army during the Defence Expo 2018 (Source: BCCL)
The newly established framework between the US General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the Industrial Security Annex (ISA) will the countries to share classified military information within a secure structure.
Access to information exchanged between the two will be restricted to the governments. This means no participation from private players — but it will be used by the government for their benefit.
The aim is to make India’s defence industry hit $26 billion by 2025, and the information exchange will help bolster the Make in India initiative for companies within the defence sector.
"We are also working to encourage greater collaboration between defence manufacturing sectors in India and in the US," said India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
In addition, the two countries finalised three new projects, and the standard operating procedure (SOP) for them, under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). Unlike the ISA, the proposed framework will allow for industry-to-industry exchange of information — which means Indian companies will have the opportunity to learn from the more advanced defence manufacturers in the US.