Defense Secretary Ash Carter met Monday with Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar to further increase the partnership between the two militaries after the US designated India as a “major defense partner” earlier this summer. Carter and Parrikar on Monday signed a partnership to increase exercises, such as India’s participation in last month’s Rim of the Pacific exercise, Red Flags, and June’s Malabar exercise with Japan. The US and India “will work together in more and new ways,” including sharing data on international shipping and progress in the defense technology and trade initiative. “The defense cooperation between India and the US has never been stronger,” Parrikar said. The meeting came as Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James visits India to discuss further interoperability with the Indian Air Force. (See also: Cyber Cooperation.)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
