WATCH BACK ON DEMAND
This joint webinar, was organised by ADS Group in collaboration with UK Defence & Security Exports within the Department for Business & Trade, and focused on the Indian defence and security market. This event comes hot on the heels of the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, as well as the recent rise in tensions between India and Pakistan. It enabled UK defence companies to have a clearer insight on those aspects of the Indian Armed Forces’ capability development plans, ongoing projects and potential commercial opportunities for UK defence supply chain. This webinar featured presentations by officials from the UK Government and the UK Defence Solution Centre.
Background
The Indian Government in the past few years has focused on modernisation and self-dependency in the defence sector. The rise in the defence budget shows the Government’s interest in strengthening the Indian military in the wake of the geopolitical and security scenario around the globe. The budget focuses on two important elements: modernisation and self-reliance—modernisation in response to the tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and on-going border security issues with Pakistan, and self-reliance for its vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and production of defence supplies. India’s defence budget has consistently increased over recent years and the budget for the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) for 2025 is ?6,81,210 crores (~US$ 78.57 billion), which constitutes 13.45% of the total Union Budget and is the highest allocation among all ministries. The modernisation budget had been cut short from the previous years, while the capital outlays have been increased, giving importance to broader development of existing buildings, infrastructure and equipment. However, lessons are being learnt from the latest tensions with Pakistan, and will result in some new procurements.
One major focus of this budget is boosting domestic defence production, wherein 75% of capital procurement is allocated to local suppliers. This is to strengthen the private sector, drive research and development and is a sign of India’s commitment to self-reliance and reducing dependence on foreign arms suppliers.
India is widely regarded as being one of the most potentially lucrative defence markets in the world and there is considerable high-level, bilateral Government and Industry support from both sides to increase industrial cooperation between the two nations.
Agenda
- 10:00 (BST) / 14:30 (IST) – Welcome and Housekeeping - Madeleine Fleetwood (Senior Event Manager, ADS Group)
- 10:02 (BST) / 14:32 (IST) – Opening comments - Brinley Salzmann (Director – Overseas & Exports, ADS Group)
- 10:05 (BST) / 14:35 (IST) – Opening remarks - Dominic Beales (Deputy Head - Americas & Asia Pacific, UK Defence & Security Exports, Department for Business & Trade)
- 10:20 (BST) / 14:50 (IST) – An assessment of the Indian defence market - Kayla Brown, UK Defence Solutions Centre
- 10:30 (BST) / 15:00 (IST) – Bilateral Defence Update - Commodore Chris Saunders MBE Royal Navy (UK Defence Advisor to India)
- 10:40 (BST) / 15:10 (IST) – UK-India Free Trade Agreement - Anna Shotbolt, Deputy Trade Commissioner, British High Commission
- 10:50 (BST) / 15:20 (IST) – Project BANYAN Launch - Richard McCallum, (Senior Advisor, UK India Business Council) and Gunjan Sharma (Associate Director, UK India Business Council)
- 11:00 (BST) / 15:40 (IST) – Upcoming Engagement Opportunities – Including events during the UK’s Carrier Strike Group visit to India, DSEI 2025 and beyond - Jamie Convisser (First Secretary, Head of UK Defence and Security Exports, India)
- 11:15 (BST) / 15:55 IST) - Unlocking India’s Public Procurement Market for UK Cyber Security and Security Companies - Neha Aggarwal, Partner, Deloitte
- 11:25 (BST) / 15:05 (IST) – Open forum Q&A
- 11:55 (BST) / 16:30 (IST) – Close - Brinley Salzmann, (Head of Overseas & Exports, ADS Group)
