The United States is showcasing a range of advanced aircraft at the ongoing Aero India, highlighting its growing defence partnership with India. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has brought F-16 and F-35 jets, the KC-135 Stratotanker and B-1 bomber to the airshow. U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kevin Schneider said, “Aero India 2025 is an ideal forum to showcase U.S. defense aircraft and equipment and ultimately contribute toward our compatibility and interoperability with other nations.” He added, “The growth in Indian and U.S. bilateral defence trade has corresponded with growing interoperability through information sharing, liaison officers, training exercises, and defense enabling agreements. The importance of our partnership continues to grow, particularly as we face an increasingly complex and dynamic security environment in the Indo-Pacific.”
At Aero India 2025, over two dozen American exhibitors are also engaging with their Indian counterparts and displaying their advancements in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), fighter aircraft, advanced avionics, and defence electronics. U.S. Embassy New Delhi Chargé d’Affaires Jorgan Andrews said, “The United States is excited to once again participate in Aero India and to spotlight our strong defense ties with India. Our cooperation in defense, trade, and training is integral to our growing strategic partnership.”
The U.S. Political-Military Affairs (PM) Bureau has supported an increase in total defense trade with India from near zero in 2008 to over US$20 billion in 2020. Since 2015, the United States authorized India access to numerous sensitive defence articles: military electronics; fire control, laser, imaging, and guidance equipment (category XII); and aircraft and related articles. In 2024, the United States approved sales of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft, MK54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes, Anti-Submarine Warfare Sonobuoys, and MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter Equipment to India.
This February, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke with the new US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, where they reviewed the extensive India-US defence cooperation activities covering multiple domains in land, air, maritime and space. They appreciated the ongoing and remarkable expansion of the bilateral defence partnership, and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the ties.
They also decided to work together on technology cooperation, integration of defence industrial supply chains, enhanced interoperability, logistics & information sharing and joint military exercises. India and US have also agreed to work together to draft a comprehensive framework on defence cooperation, aimed at structuring the bilateral collaboration for the period 2025-2035.
The United States designated India as a Major Defence Partner in 2016, following which, India was elevated to Strategic Trade Authorization tier 1 status in 2018, which allowed it to receive license-free access to a wide range of military and dual-use technologies regulated by the U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S.-India defence trade cooperation is continuing to expand with the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), and the Industrial Security Agreement (ISA) now in place.
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