U.S. and India have identified small air launch unmanned aerial vehicles and a lightweight small arms technology project along with aircraft maintenance for defense collaboration, said Ellen Lord U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
The U.S. statement came as defense officials from the two countries held their latest round of Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) talks in Washington DC on March 15. The DTTI seeks opportunities for co-production and development of military technologies between the two countries.
On the drones, the discussions are mainly between the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization. In April, the two sides will write the technical planning document.
“There is a lightweight, small arms technology project,” Lord said. “The key is the combined weapons and ammunition offer a 40% weight reduction and improved accuracy. The ammunition uses full polymer casings that significantly reduce weight and give less heat transfer and recoil.
“This is an area where there’s co-development as well as co-production opportunity. What we’re interested is technologies, where the U.S. has brought them to a certain level and there’s an appetite for more investment and for whatever reason we’re not able to get to that in the U.S. right now,” the top Pentagon official said.
The two sides also discussed virtual, augmented mixed reality for aircraft maintenance.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
