What Could a Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement Do for U.S.-India Ties?

Good news!

Caveat: I did not read the entire long article.

"... It is also equally important to note that India already signed a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) with the United States in August 2024. The SOSA, in short, provides a means for India and the United States to request priority delivery of certain defense items from each other.

How it differs from an RDPA is that a SOSA is non-binding and, accordingly, neither country is obligated to fulfil requests made under it to the other.

Additionally, an RDPA, unlike the SOSA, would make India a “qualifying country” under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and this certification would smooth out additional compliance that Indian firms may need to sell to the U.S. industrial base.

Lastly, an RDPA would bring Indian vendors up to par with their counterparts in the United States when selling to the U.S. DoD and vice versa, subject, of course, to each country’s national laws and sourcing rules. This is aligned with the U.S.-India joint statement issued in February 2025, in which both sides agreed to design a new ten-year framework for the U.S.-India major defense partnership for the twenty-first century, with an RDP agreement. ...

India’s Operation Sindoor, a swift five-day military operation launched to strike at Pakistan’s terror camps and its key defense installations, showcased India’s growing weapons arsenal and military prowess, and was fairly well-received. Even the most hard-headed detractors of India’s defense preparedness concede that India’s defense missile system, including the Akashteer drone systems and the Brahmos missile system, performed very well. Reports have emerged about interest from Vietnam and Indonesia in India’s arms exports, which have also surged to an all-time high, with its latest defense exports being reported at approximately $2.75 billion. ..."

What Could a Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement Do for U.S.-India Ties? | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace "India and the United States are close to concluding a Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement (RDPA) that will allow firms from the two countries to sell to each other’s defense establishments more easily. While this may not remedy the specific grievances both sides may have regarding larger bilateral issues, an RDPA could restore some momentum, following the trade deal announcement."