UK Defence Partnership India (DPI) Announced at Aero India
Why in the news
At Aero India, the UK opened Defence Partnership India (DPI), a special cell in its Ministry of Defence, and several India-UK defence agreements were signed.
Key facts
- DPI is a “one stop shop” in the UK MoD for deeper cooperation; announced by UK Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker.
- Aims: interoperability, joint production and security cooperation.
Agreements at Aero India
| Item | Partners | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Laser Beam Riding MANPADS | Thales UK, Bharat Dynamics (BDL) | Contract concluded |
| STAR Streak missiles | UK supply | First delivery due this year |
| Lightweight Multirole Missiles | Thales, BDL | Made in India; joins Thales supply chain |
| ASRAAM facility | MBDA UK, BDL | Hyderabad; for Jaguar and LCA Mk1A |
| IFEP system | India, UK | Statement of Intent for Navy ships |
Significance
- Supports joint production, supply-chain integration and indigenous manufacturing.
Exam angle
- Full forms: MANPADS, LMM, IFEP. Indian partner: BDL.