New Delhi: India and the Czech Republic agree to expand defence-industrial cooperation following talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček in New Delhi on October 13. The discussions focus on strengthening existing industrial partnerships and expanding joint ventures to advance India’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
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The two leaders review the full spectrum of bilateral defence-industrial cooperation and welcome the progress made by existing joint ventures between Indian and Czech entities. Both sides agree to expand collaboration under the India–Czech Joint Defence Committee, which provides an institutional framework for advancing defence cooperation.
The renewed push builds on a defence partnership that includes industrial engagement, technology cooperation and exchanges between the two countries’ defence establishments. The Joint Defence Committee held its seventh meeting in Prague in October 2025, alongside a defence-industry seminar that brought Indian and Czech companies together to explore potential partnerships.
For India, deeper cooperation with Czech defence companies offers opportunities to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and develop industrial partnerships with a European defence-industry player. For the Czech Republic, expanding engagement provides a pathway to participate in India’s defence-manufacturing ecosystem.
The leaders also exchange views on peace, security and regional stability, reaffirming that bilateral relations rest on historical and cultural links, mutual trust and shared respect. Havlíček is on a four-day visit to India and is scheduled to visit industries in Bengaluru and Mumbai.
While the talks signal a renewed push for defence-industrial collaboration, no specific new contract or joint venture is announced in the official statement. The next step will be translating the agreement to expand cooperation into concrete industrial projects and manufacturing partnerships.
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