The 21st edition of the India-US Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting concluded on Wednesday in New Delhi. Lieutenant General JP Mathew, Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff of India, and Lieutenant General Joshua M. Rudd, Deputy Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, co-chaired the meeting. Senior officials from both countries reviewed ongoing initiatives and explored new areas for cooperation.

The discussions spanned a broad spectrum of topics, including capacity building, training exchanges, defence-industrial cooperation, and enhancing joint exercises to improve readiness for conventional and hybrid threats. According to a social media update from HQ IDS, the meeting focused on developing fresh initiatives within existing bilateral defence mechanisms. Opportunities for strengthening the ongoing India-US defence engagements and continued interoperability to address mutual security concerns towards maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific were key deliberations, a social media post from HQ IDS said.

Both sides underscored the importance of the Indo-US defence partnership, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening this strategic relationship through active engagement and increased interoperability. They also expressed a shared understanding of the evolving challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and emphasized the need to expand the scope of military collaboration to address these effectively, the Defence Ministry stated in its statement.

The MCG serves as a vital platform for fostering strategic and operational defence collaboration between the armed forces of both countries. The 21st meeting marks a significant step in advancing shared objectives, reinforcing regional and global security, countering emerging threats, and building mutual capabilities.

Team BharatShakti