In the heart of New Delhi, the foremost military figure of India, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, engaged in profound discussions with Admiral John Christopher Aquilino from the United States Indo-Pacific Command (US INDOPACOM) this Wednesday. The discourse delved into the intricacies of contemporary security challenges, reinforcing the robust ties between the two nations.

Via the virtual realm of social media, X, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), conveyed the gravity of their deliberations. The rendezvous encompassed a comprehensive exploration of current security challenges and matters of mutual strategic interest, reaffirming the commitment to bilateral defence cooperation.

HQ IDS shared insights on Twitter: “General Anil Chauhan, #CDS_India interacts with Admiral John C Aquilino, Cdr US INDOPACOM. Discussions held on contemporary #securitychallenges, issues of mutual #strategicinterest and bilateral #DefenceCooperation, duly affirming stronger ties between both nations,” highlighting the gravity of the exchange.

Earlier in the diurnal proceedings, General Anil Chauhan extended his interactions to a delegation representing Lockheed Martin. The discourse revolved around collaborative prospects with the Indian Defence Industry, aligning with the principles of the ‘Make In India’ initiative. Raymond P Piselli, the vice president of International Business, spearheaded the delegation, as noted in another post on X by HQ IDS.

Lockheed Martin, a potent force in the aerospace domain, domiciled in Bethesda, Maryland, is a global entity deeply immersed in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of cutting-edge technology systems, products, and services.

The HQ IDS post encapsulated the meeting: “General Anil Chauhan, #CDS interacted with a delegation of #LockheedMartin Pvt Ltd led by Mr Raymond P Piselli, Vice President International Business. Collaboration with Indian Defence Industry for products & technologies in line with #MakeInIndia initiatives discussed,” showcasing the alignment with the ‘Make In India’ vision.

Highlighting the global reach of Lockheed Martin, an American multinational corporation specializing in aerospace, arms, defence, information security, and technology, the post elucidated that the company has exported defence products worth almost USD 650 million from India to the US.

In a previous engagement in January, General Chauhan engaged in a video call with Admiral John C. Aquilino, head of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), delving into bilateral defence cooperation and contemporary security challenges. The discourse encompassed an exploration of ongoing defence collaboration and mutual strategic interests. In December of the preceding year, the United States strategically deployed advanced military capabilities to its allies, reinforcing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and aiding India in advancing its defence modernization plans.