India-US Military Cooperation: Strengthening Ties at the 21st MCG Meeting

The 21st edition of the India-US Military Cooperation Group meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on enhancing defence collaboration. Chaired by top military officials, the gathering addressed joint exercises, emerging threats, and mutual capacity building to bolster the Indo-US strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 21st India-US Military Cooperation Group meeting, held from November 5 to 6, 2024, took place at New Delhi's Manekshaw Centre. Addressing a comprehensive array of topics, it focused on capacity building, training exchanges, and bolstering defence industrial cooperation, according to a Ministry of Defence release on Wednesday.

Lieutenant General JP Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, and Lieutenant General Joshua M Rudd, Deputy Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, co-chaired the meeting. Senior officials reviewed ongoing initiatives and explored new cooperation areas, emphasizing the importance of the Indo-US defence partnership. The meeting underscored their commitment to enhance interoperability and expand military cooperation to tackle dynamic regional challenges.

The Military Cooperation Group serves as a crucial forum for boosting defence collaboration between India's and the US's armed forces. The discussions at the 21st meeting marked significant progress in pursuing shared objectives to ensure security, counter threats, and strengthen mutual capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region, the release stated.

(With inputs from agencies.)