The U.S. and India agreed to strengthen their defense cooperation during President Obama’s state visit there this weekend, including opening the door to shared development of aircraft carrier and jet engine technology, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Sunday.
The agreement was part of one of several areas where the two nations affirmed their desire to increase cooperation in military training, trade and industrial development.
The shared technology development comes under a U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, and will “form a working group to explore aircraft carrier technology sharing and design, and explore possible cooperation on development of jet engine technology,” Hagel said.
In the last two years, India has made significant moves to build up its fleet.
Since 2013 it has acquired and launched the INS Vikramadtiya, which was purchased and refurbished from a 1980s-era Russian hull originally named the Admiral Gorshkov, and completed the construction of its own brand-new carrier, the INS Vikrant. It launched its first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the INS Arihant, late last year.
