By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, SEPT 29, 2013: "THE India-United States defence cooperation and engagement has increased significantly over the past decade, in step with the overall deepening of India-US relations. We continue to work towards achieving the full vision of expanded defence cooperation set forth in the 2005 New Framework Agreement," states the India-USA Joint Declaration on Defence Cooperation between the two countries.

In this context, India and the United States have endorsed the following general principles for fulfilling this vision:

• The United States and India share common security interests and place each other at the same level as their closest partners. This principle will apply with respect to defence technology transfer, trade, research, co-development and co-production for defence articles and services, including the most advanced and sophisticated technology. They will work to improve licensing processes, and, where applicable, follow expedited license approval processes to facilitate this cooperation. The U.S and India are also committed to protecting each other’s sensitive technology and information.

• The U.S. continues to fully support India's full membership in the four international export control regimes, which would further facilitate technology sharing.

• The two sides will continue their efforts to strengthen mutual understanding of their respective procurement systems and approval processes, and to address process-related difficulties in defence trade, technology transfer and collaboration.

• The two sides look forward to the identification of specific opportunities for cooperative and collaborative projects in advanced defence technologies and systems, within the next year. Such opportunities will be pursued by both sides in accordance with their national policies and procedures, in a manner that would reflect the full potential of the relationship.