HQIDS Engages in Defence Cooperation Talks at Aero India 2025
Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) participated in bilateral meetings and industry engagements at Aero India 2025 to enhance military cooperation and assess defence technologies. The Indian delegation, led by Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen JP Mathew, included Lt Gen DS Rana, Director General Defence Intelligence Agency, and Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Deputy Chief PP&FD.
Lt Gen Mathew held discussions with Lt Gen Augustine S Malanit, Inspector General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, on bilateral defence collaboration and procurement opportunities. He also met with representatives from Israel’s Elbit Systems to review ongoing defence partnerships. During the event, he assessed aircraft and advanced military systems showcased by domestic and international defence firms.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan conducted meetings with Maj Gen Ramanka Mokaloba, Chief of Logistics, Lesotho Defence Forces, and Maj Gen Andrei Matsiyevich, First Deputy Chief of General Staff of Belarusian Armed Forces, on defence exports and cooperation. He also engaged with industry representatives from MBDA, L3Harris, Hensoldt, and Boeing to discuss technology transfers and defence production initiatives aligned with the Make in India programme, with a focus on integrating startups and MSMEs.
Additional discussions included engagements with a Japanese delegation led by Kegoya Masanori, Deputy Director General for Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), as well as Italian, French, and German officials on defence manufacturing and technology exchange. Lt Gen DS Rana explored joint training programmes with Brig Gen Ahmed Ghiyas, Vice Chief of Defence Force of the Maldives, and discussed military cooperation with German Air Force representatives.
The HQ IDS delegation also reviewed developments in military technology, simulators, and warfighting systems exhibited at the event. Aero India 2025 served as a platform for discussions on strategic partnerships and defence production initiatives.