Defence Minister Rajnatha Singh on Monday asked US defence companies to invest in India and support Make in India initiative. While addressing a joint press conference with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin after the crucial 2+2 dialogue, Singh said that he has asked the American companies for co-developmental production and that they should invest in areas like UP and Tamil Nadu. He asserted that New Delhi aims to make everything in India. This is the 4th 2+2 ministerial dialogue between India and the USA.
Key Points |
1. "I have talked to American companies for Make in India and aerospace and world programmes. I have invited them for these programmes, We are talking to US companies for co-development and co-production. We are proposing it to them. We have asked the US companies to work in the UP and Tamil Nadu corridor and invest in that area," Rajnath Singh said at the joint press conference.
2. Rajnath Singh also underlined the importance of defence partnership between India and US and termed it as the most important pillars of strategic relations between the two countries. He also recalled signing of 8 defence related agreements between New Delhi and Washington in the last few years. Despite Covid19, military engagements between India and US increased, defence supplies rose to over USD 20 billion from the USA.
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3. In order to attract the investments Singh also highlighted importance on the geographical location of India. "As the largest country and the centre to Indian Ocean, and as a democracy, India has critical roles to play in the Indian Ocean region and in the wider Indo-Pacific following the Act East and the Neighbourhood First policy," he said.
