The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) came together on Monday, September 9, for the third India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit, held in Silicon Valley, California. Co-hosted by the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Stanford University, the summit continues to drive innovation in defense technology and manufacturing by fostering partnerships among innovators, investors, and researchers.
Speakers at the summit highlighted opportunities to co-produce advanced military capabilities, create new funding sources for defense technology, and strengthen U.S.-India military interoperability. Notable keynote remarks were delivered by Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and U.S. SPACECOM Commander General Stephen Whiting, who emphasized the importance of defense cooperation in realizing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The event saw the signing of an upgraded Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and India’s Defense Innovation Organization (DIO), reaffirming their commitment to expanding defense innovation efforts. The summit also launched an official INDUS-X webpage, providing resources for investors and startups interested in defense partnerships.
During the summit, U.S. and Indian companies, universities, and nonprofit organizations discussed new technology testing opportunities through INDUSWERX, a private-sector-led consortium. This group will explore ways for defense and dual-use companies to test their technologies across premier testing ranges in both the U.S. and India.
The event also convened meetings of the INDUS-X Senior Advisory Group and Senior Leaders Forum, allowing senior defense officials from both nations to engage stakeholders and advance ongoing initiatives under INDUS-X. The DoD’s INDUS-X Fact Sheet, released in February 2024, outlines the program’s accomplishments and priority goals.–News Desk