Strengthening India-US Collaboration in Underwater Domain Awareness

Current Affairs National

Posted by newadmin on 2025-02-19 08:54:32 |

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India and the United States have strengthened their collaboration in underwater domain awareness (UDA), a strategic move announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington. This partnership includes the launch of the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA), aimed at fostering industry partnerships and enhancing production capabilities within the Indo-Pacific region.

Underwater domain awareness plays a vital role in national security and maritime safety, especially in light of the increasing presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean. Enhanced UDA capabilities will allow India and the US to effectively monitor submarines and other underwater activities. To support this initiative, the US has proposed co-producing advanced UDA technologies in India, including the Sea Picket autonomous surveillance system, Wave Glider unmanned surface vehicle systems, low-frequency active towed sonar, multistatic active sonobuoys, large-diameter autonomous undersea vehicles, and the Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicle. These technologies represent a significant step forward in bilateral defence cooperation.

A comprehensive defence cooperation framework between India and the US is being drafted for the period 2025–2035, focusing on accelerating technological collaboration across multiple domains, including space and air defence. The US is also reviewing its policies on transferring advanced military technologies, including fifth-generation fighter jets, to India.

Several US companies are in discussions with Indian partners to establish co-production agreements. Boeing’s Liquid Robotics is negotiating with Sagar Defence Engineering for the Wave Glider platform, while L3 Harris is exploring a partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited to develop low-frequency active towed sonar systems. These initiatives will enhance India’s capabilities in underwater surveillance and maritime security.

The joint statement by Modi and US President Donald Trump reaffirms a commitment to deepening military cooperation, encompassing logistics, intelligence sharing, and joint humanitarian operations. New Quad initiatives have also been introduced to strengthen disaster response and maritime patrol efforts.

India’s acquisition of key military platforms from the US is significantly bolstering its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The procurement of 12 P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, 24 MH-60R multi-role helicopters, and 15 MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones will enhance interoperability among Quad partners and reinforce India’s maritime defence strategy.

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