9th India-US Defence Technologies and Trade Initiative

The ninth India-US Defence Technologies and Trade Initiative (DTTI) group meeting is scheduled to happen in New Delhi in last week of October. DTTI is a flexible mechanism and not a treaty or law, which makes sure that senior leaders from both countries are engaged consistently to strengthen opportunities in field of defence.

What is Defence Technologies and Trade Initiative (DTTI)?

Objective: Its main aim includes strengthening India’s defence industrial base, exploring new areas of technological development and expanding U.S.-India business ties.

DTTI came about to expedite scope of cooperation between partner countries on defence technology that become narrow due to presence of differing bureaucratic processes and legal requirements. But essentially, DTII is an initiative to provide increased US senior level oversight and engagement to get beyond these obstacles.

DTTI initiative is led by Undersecretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment from US and Secretary for Defence Protection from India.

Background

The 8th session of DTTI was held on February 2018 in New Delhi and was co-chaired by Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff from India and Acting Director, International Cooperation from US. Also, in August 2018, US granted to India the designation of Strategic Trade Authority Tier 1 (or STA-1).  The STA-1 authorisation is equivalent of NATO allying with Japan, South Korea and Australia and it provides India with greater supply-chain efficiency by allowing US companies to export a greater range of dual-use as well as high-tech items to India under  a smmoth streamlined processes.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2019