New Delhi: The first project agreement for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle under the Joint Working Group Air Systems was signed since the last meeting of the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) Group. The agreement was signed between India and the United States (US), said in a statement.
The 11th DTTI Group meeting between India and the United States (US) was held virtually on Tuesday. It was co-chaired by Secretary (Defence Production) Raj Kumar from Ministry of Defence, Government of India and PTDO (Performing the Duties of) Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment from US Department of Defence Gregory Kausner.
"The co-chairs were also pleased to note that since the last DTTI Group meeting in September 2020, the first Project Agreement for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle under the Joint Working Group Air Systems was signed which is a major accomplishment for DTTI," stated the statement.
The co-chairs also agreed on a revised Statement of Intent (SOI) that declares their intent “to strengthen our dialogue on defence technology cooperation by pursuing detailed planning and making measurable progress” on several specific DTTI projects.
Four Joint Working Groups focusing on land, naval, air and aircraft carrier technologies have been set up in a bid to promote mutually agreed projects within their domains. The groups reported to the co-chairs on ongoing activities and collaborative opportunities, including a number of near-term projects targeted for completion on priority.
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The meeting is usually held twice a year, alternating between India and the US. However, this year it was held via video conference for a second time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the aim of encouraging US and Indian industries to develop niche technologies under the DTTI Group, the Defence Industry Collaboration Forum (DICF) Virtual Expo was conducted on November 08, 2021. The DICF was convened by Joint Secretary (Defence Industries Promotion) Anurag Bajpai and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Industrial Policy and Jesse Salazar. This forum offers an opportunity for Indian and US industries to be directly involved in DTTI and facilitates dialogue between government and industry on issues that impact industrial collaboration. The results of the discussion were briefed to the DTTI Group co-chairs.
