Argentina, India Consolidate Defense Cooperation

A top Argentinian defense official visited India with an aim to improve bilateral cooperation in defense industry.

Secretary of Research, Industrial Policy & Defense Production at Argentina’s MoD Daniela Castro, and the head of the Air Force, Brigadier General Xavier Julián Isaac, today finished a tour of India on March 15. The officials met India’s Secretary of Defense Ajay Kumar, president of DRDO Satheesh Reddy, secretary of Ministry of International Affairs Saurabh Kumar, the head of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Vivek Ram Chaudhari, and other top officials to consolidate bilateral cooperation in defense industry, Argentina’s defense ministry said in a statement.

India has pitched its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for Argentina's upcoming light fighter jet procurement program.

"The result has been very positive. The scheduled agenda was fulfilled and a door was opened for bilateral cooperation in defense matters between Argentina and India under which we define concrete actions for the current year,” Castro said.

The work agenda was focused on defense production, within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation that Argentina signed with India in 2019.

The Argentine delegation, after the host country's presentations, toured the aircraft, helicopter and engine manufacturing areas of the company HAL (Hindustan Aeronautic Limited).

During the meetings, actions were agreed for the coming months of the year, among them the following stand out: the holding of the Defense Industry and Production Seminar; the invitation to Defense Minister Jorge Taiana to visit the Asian country; and the holding of the 2nd Working Meeting on cooperation in science, technology, and industry for defense within the framework of the current Memorandum.