India-UK Defence Consultative Group: 25th meeting reviews Vision 2035 roadmap
Synopsis
India and the UK convened their 25th Defence Consultative Group meeting in New Delhi, reviewing the Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap and Vision 2035 — signalling a shift from periodic dialogue to structured, long-horizon strategic partnership, with the Indo-Pacific and R&D at its core.
Key Takeaways
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and UK Permanent Under Secretary Jeremy Pocklington co-chaired the 25th India-UK DCG meeting in New Delhi on 21 August .
Both sides reviewed the India-UK Vision 2035 and the Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap , with emphasis on R&D.
The two nations agreed to expand bilateral military exchanges through joint exercises, training, and capacity building.
The Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (RMSCE) under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) was acknowledged as a key area of collaboration.
Pocklington also met Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani — his first visit to India as UK PUS for Defence.
The meeting follows the 15th ESG meeting held in London from 17–19 June , reflecting accelerating bilateral defence engagement.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the 25th India-UK Defence Consultative Group (DCG) meeting alongside the United Kingdom's Permanent Under Secretary for Defence, Jeremy Pocklington, in New Delhi on Friday, 21 August. The two sides reviewed ongoing defence industrial cooperation with a focused emphasis on Research and Development, the India-UK Vision 2035, and the Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap.
Key Developments from the Meeting
According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, both countries agreed to expand bilateral exchanges between their armed forces through joint exercises, training programmes, and capacity-building initiatives. The two sides also acknowledged robust maritime security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific, including the establishment of the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (RMSCE) under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
The secretaries exchanged views on regional peace and security, reaffirming their commitment to mutual security and strategic autonomy. Both sides reiterated that the India-UK Strategic Partnership is grounded in shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect.
Pocklington's First Visit to India as PUS
This was Jeremy Pocklington's first visit to India in his capacity as Permanent Under Secretary for Defence. Prior to the DCG meeting, he laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in tribute to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation. He also visited the Gandhi Smriti Museum and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
During his visit, Pocklington held a bilateral interaction with General NS Raja Subramani, the Chief of Defence Staff. The Ministry of Defence described the visit as underlining the longstanding defence cooperation between the two countries and the regular exchange of views on matters of mutual interest.
Context: June ESG Meeting in London
The DCG meeting follows the 15th Executive Steering Group (ESG) meeting held in London from 17 to 19 June, where both nations discussed ways to enhance defence cooperation and deepen the partnership between the Indian Army and the British Army. Engagements during that meeting included visits to the UK Trials and Experimental Group.
Talks at the ESG centred on advancing multi-tiered military cooperation through enhanced interoperability, bilateral joint exercises, exchanges of subject matter experts in niche and emerging military technologies, and increased engagement between defence think tanks.
What This Signals for the Strategic Partnership
The back-to-back high-level engagements — the June ESG in London and the August DCG in New Delhi — reflect a deliberate acceleration in the India-UK defence relationship. This comes amid broader geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific, where both nations have overlapping interests in maritime security and technology-driven defence cooperation. The Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap and Vision 2035 framework suggest the partnership is moving from episodic exchanges toward structured, long-horizon collaboration.
Point of View
New Delhi in August — are not routine diplomatic calendar-filling. They signal that both governments are investing political capital in the India-UK defence axis at a time when Indo-Pacific alignments are hardening. The Ten-Year Roadmap and Vision 2035 are ambitious frameworks, but the real test will be whether they translate into co-production and technology-transfer deals rather than remaining aspirational documents. India's strategic autonomy doctrine means it will resist binding arrangements, which creates a structural tension that no joint statement fully resolves.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was discussed at the 25th India-UK Defence Consultative Group meeting?
The 25th DCG meeting, held in New Delhi on 21 August, reviewed ongoing defence industrial cooperation with a focus on R&D, the India-UK Vision 2035, and the Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap. Both sides also agreed to expand joint exercises, training, and capacity-building exchanges between their armed forces.
Who represented India and the UK at the DCG meeting?
India was represented by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, while the UK was represented by Permanent Under Secretary for Defence Jeremy Pocklington. Pocklington also held a separate bilateral meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani during his visit.
What is the India-UK Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap?
The Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap is a bilateral framework guiding long-term defence manufacturing and technology cooperation between India and the United Kingdom. It operates alongside the India-UK Vision 2035, with a strong emphasis on joint Research and Development.
What is the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (RMSCE)?
The RMSCE is a maritime security initiative established under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), acknowledged by both India and the UK as a key pillar of their maritime security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.
What was the significance of the June 2025 ESG meeting in London?
The 15th Executive Steering Group meeting, held in London from 17 to 19 June, focused on enhancing interoperability, bilateral exercises, and defence technology exchanges between the Indian Army and the British Army. It set the stage for the August DCG meeting and reflects an accelerating pace of India-UK defence engagement.
