Defence diplomacy—military cooperation in peacetime to enhance a nation’s diplomatic goals, rather than specific operational objectives—is a critical function for any modern military. It is intended to build trust and convergence of interests with foreign militaries, share knowledge and best practices among partners, and enable collective security through burden-sharing.
India today undertakes many forms of defence diplomacy which extend to military capacity building, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), professional military education (PME) and training, and high-profile visits and exchanges. In recent years, and despite some continuing constraints, new trends are shaping India’s defence diplomacy, including higher states of readiness, new partners, more defence attaches posted at embassies abroad, and improved maritime information sharing.