UK Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) Air Chief Marshal Sir
Richard Knighton will host India's Chief of Defence Staff General
Anil Chauhan for a three‑day visit starting 19 April. During
their talks, the two military commanders will discuss deepening
cooperation across training, operations and defence industry
partnerships.
Senior UK civil and military leaders will also interact with
General Chauhan during his visit. Representatives of the British
defence industry will meet him to progress talks on greater
defence co-production between the two countries. General Chauhan
will also be given a tour of the Royal College of Defence
Studies, where he will meet a multinational cohort of students.
This is the first official visit by an Indian CDS to the UK and marks the
fifth senior UK–India military engagement this year, following
the UK Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth's
visit to India in March.
, British High Commissioner
to India, said:
General Chauhan's landmark visit shows the trust and ambition
driving the UK-India defence partnership. We are stepping up
cooperation to strengthen interoperability, spur innovation and
support a free, open and secure Indo‑Pacific.
From joint training and defence industry cooperation to strategic
dialogue, we are moving faster and closer, because India is a key
defence partner for the UK. We will continue to build on this
momentum in the months ahead.
Commodore MBE Royal Navy, Defence
Adviser, British High Commission, said:
It is an honour to accompany General Chauhan, Chief of Defence
Staff India to the United Kingdom. The visit signals the
significant progress we have achieved together across all areas
of defence and highlights how much common ground we can share
going forward.
The visit will enable an opportunity to further discuss deepening
our strong military-to-military engagement, expanding our
cooperative training ambitions and exploring how we can
develop greater defence industrial collaboration where both UK
and India seek to use defence as an ‘Engine for Growth' and to
support India's route to self-reliance. Exciting times for
UK-India defence co-operation!
Further information
-
The UK and India launched a 10‑year Defence Industrial
Roadmap under the Vision 2035 agreement to support growth,
strengthen security and contribute to international
stability.
-
The UK Ministry of Defence has set up a dedicated programme
office, Defence Partnership‑India (DP-I), to drive bilateral
defence collaboration.
-
In February 2026, the UK and India signed an agreement for
the Indian Air Force to deploy three Qualified Flying
Instructors to RAF Valley in the UK, the training base for
British fast‑jet pilots. Indian officers are embedded as
instructors across all three UK service academies.
-
In 2025, the UK and India ran their largest-ever maritime
exercise, bringing together both nations' Carrier Strike
Groups. This included a separate air‑defence exercise with
fast‑jet aircraft from the Royal Navy, Indian Air Force and
Indian Navy. This was followed by Exercise Ajeya Warrior in
Rajasthan, with 2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles training alongside
the 21 Sikh Regiment.
