New Delhi [India], June 24 : Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh led the Indian delegation to South Africa for the 9th Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting, which was held in Johannesburg on June 23 and 24.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the South African delegation was headed by Acting Secretary for Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede.
The first day of the meeting commenced with remarks by the two co-chairs, who set the agenda and provided broad guidance to the two sub-committees that report to the JDC. Both sides also briefed each other on the capabilities of their respective defence industries.
The Defence Secretary recalled the historic relations with South Africa and expressed satisfaction at the significant progress made in bilateral defence cooperation. He highlighted India's growing prowess in defence manufacturing and exports, and reiterated the commitment to further strengthening relations with South Africa.
On the second day of the meeting, areas of mutual interest were discussed, and a way forward for further strengthening India-South Africa relations was identified. Two newly signed agreements in submarine cooperation were exchanged during the meeting.
As per the MoD statement, the two subcommittees on Defence Policy and Military Cooperation and Defence Acquisition, Production, Research and Development reported the outcome of the discussions to the JDC.
The Indian delegation comprised senior officers from the Department of Defence, the Department of Defence Production, the Services and the Indian High Commission.
India-South Africa relations have a shared history, rooted in their common struggle against colonialism. Defence collaboration between the two countries dates back to 1996, with the signing of an MoU on 'Cooperation in the field of Defence Equipment', which was further upgraded by another MoU in 2000.