29 October 2013

Think Tank: India Brazil Expand Defence Cooperation

Indian AirForce EMB-145 AEW&C Aircraft built by Embraer

India Brazil are gradually expanding defence cooperation. This is evident from the Agreed Minutes of the Sixth Meeting of the Brazil-India Joint Commission on Political, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation signed on October 15, 2013 during the visit of Indian Minister of External Affairs, Salman Khurshid to Brasilia for the Sixth Brazil-India Joint Commission Meeting on 14 and 15 October.

With reference to Defence, the Minutes highlighted the progress since India and Brazil signed the Defence Cooperation Agreement, in 2003, which is in force since 2006. The Third Meeting of the Brazil - India Joint Defence Committee was also held in New Delhi on May 21, 2013 enhancing direct and frequent contact between both countries' armed forces, as well as in the monitoring of ongoing cooperation projects and identification of new initiatives. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the significant results of bilateral cooperation in research and development of aircrafts. They welcomed the success of the integration of the Indian early warning mission systems, such as radars developed by the "Centre for Airborne Systems" of the Defence Research & Development Organization, in the Brazilian aircrafts EMB 145 AEW & C (Aerial Early Warning & Control), developed by Embraer. They expressed, in this sense, their desire to further expand cooperation in this area.

Both Ministers welcomed the participation of an Indian delegation at the latest edition of the "International Exhibition for Public and Corporate Security - LAAD Security" and the Indian willingness to participate in the next edition of the event, in April 2014, also in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil welcomed the invitation by India to participate at the "Fourth India Aviation" event, which will take place in March 2014 in Hyderabad. The Indian side also encouraged the Brazilian side to field their delegations to DEFEXPO and AEROINDIA as well.

This Article first appeared on Security Risks and is reposted here under a Creative Commons license.