In a clear signal of India’s importance, both as a major buyer and potential collaborator in the defence sector, the Pentagon has established its first-ever country special cell to speed up defence ties between India and the United States.

The India Rapid Reaction Cell (IRRC), operational for a few months now, is part of the efforts to pursue all aspects of the India-U.S. Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), officials here said.

In an interview to PTI in Washington DC, Keith Webster, who heads the IRRC, said: “The purpose of the India Rapid Reaction Cell is to work all the initiatives that we have ongoing under (India-U.S.) DTTI (Defence Trade and Technology Initiative) — both the initiatives that for example came out of the joint statement between the (U.S.) President and the (Indian) Prime Minister in January (in New Delhi) — to move quickly and timely and be thorough, which in my opinion requires dedicated support to ramp up the operational tempo.”

Mr. Webster is the Director, International Cooperation Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Details