India Air Show Fact Sheet: U.S.-India Defense Cooperation and Strategic Alignment

List of Key Chapter Titles

1. Overview of U.S.-India Security and Defense Cooperation
2. India's Designation as a "Major Defense Partner" in 2016
3. India's Upgrade to Strategic Trade Authorization Tier-1 in 2018
4. Relevant U.S.-India Defense Cooperation Agreements (LEMOA, COMCASA, ISA)
5. U.S. Authorization of Sensitive Defense Equipment to India Post-2015
6. U.S. Approval of Defense Equipment Sales to India in 2024
7. U.S.-India "Tiger Triumph" Trilateral Joint Military Exercise in March 2024
8. India's Participation in Multilateral Military Exercises (RIMPAC, Malabar)
9. India-U.S. Military Education and Training Cooperation (IMET Program)
10. Key Equipment Showcased at the 2025 India Air Show (F-16, F-35A, B-1B)
11. Performance Schedule of the U.S. Air Force Band at the 2025 India Air Show

Document Introduction

This report centers on the 2025 India Air Show as its core scenario, systematically outlining the strategic cooperation history, specific initiatives, and future prospects between the United States and India in the defense domain. It aims to provide a core reference for analyzing the security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region. Based on shared goals of global security, stability, and economic prosperity, the U.S. and India are deepening their partnership through diverse avenues such as trade, investment, and connectivity. Defense cooperation has become a key pillar in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The report first traces key milestones in U.S.-India defense cooperation, including India's designation as a "Major Defense Partner" in 2016 and its upgrade to Strategic Trade Authorization Tier-1 in 2018. This status provides an institutional guarantee for India to access various U.S. Department of Commerce-controlled military and dual-use technologies without requiring individual licenses. The implementation of three foundational agreements—the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), and the Industrial Security Annex (ISA)—has further established the institutional basis for bilateral defense cooperation.

At the substantive cooperation level, the report details the categories of sensitive defense equipment opened by the U.S. to India since 2015, covering military electronics, fire control, laser, imaging, and guidance equipment (Category XII), as well as aircraft-related articles. The U.S. approval in 2024 to sell MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, MK 54 MOD 0 lightweight torpedoes, anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys, and MH-60R multi-mission helicopter equipment to India marks the continued deepening of bilateral defense trade.

Military exercises and personnel training serve as crucial practical vehicles for U.S.-India defense synergy. The "Tiger Triumph" trilateral joint military exercise held in March 2024 brought together the land, naval, and air forces of both countries for a week-long disaster response and humanitarian assistance drill, effectively enhancing the two militaries' interoperability and joint operational readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond. Furthermore, India's participation in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise and the U.S.-Japan-India trilateral Malabar exercise further strengthens the regional security cooperation network. Since 2003, Indian officers have continuously participated in the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, enhancing interoperability through professional military education, technical, and operational training.

Regarding the 2025 India Air Show, the report anticipates the technical advantages of three key showcased equipment: the multi-role combat capability and maneuverability of the F-16 "Fighting Falcon," the advanced sensor fusion and information distribution superiority of the F-35A, and the large-scale conventional weapons delivery capability of the B-1B "Lancer" bomber. Concurrently, the performance schedule of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces band ensemble "Final Approach" adds a cultural exchange element to this defense cooperation platform.

All information in this report is based on official U.S.-India bilateral cooperation records and publicly disclosed project details, providing authoritative and precise factual support for understanding the dynamics of Indo-Pacific defense cooperation, technology transfer pathways, and military synergy potential.