New Delhi, September 2020

India has traditionally been a large naval customer of the United Kingdom, as well as a major strategic partner of London ever since independence. As such, New Delhi would like to foster even closer military ties with London, in particular, navally.

In light of the recent proposal from BAE offering the QEC design to India for the IAC-2 carrier, the Indian Naval Staff has agreed to BAE's offer and would be going forward with a derivative of BAE's QEC design for the IAC-2 project, pending only the United Kingdom's government clearance for the transfer of the designs and technology.

In addition to the capital ships, we are also interested in their primary escorts, the Type 45. The Indian Navy is interested in procuring a modified version of Type 45 to Indian requirements, to be built in collaboration between BAE Systems Maritime - Naval Ships and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, to include technology transfers as well as construction in India (At least 2 ships will be built in the UK first as part of the deal) as part of the QEC deal. Would the UK be happy with these terms of procurement?

Final part of the procurement plan include Replenishment Ships. The Indian Navy would like to procure 4 Fort Victoria-class vessels as well as 8 Tide-class vessels, with half of the ships being built in the UK.

And finally, in addition to these procurement deals that we expect to benefit both sides (especially UK shipbuilding), we would like to invite the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm to a 1-week exercise in the Indian Ocean alongside the INS Vikramaditya battle group in hope to refine both Navy's naval aviation training.