4th JWGACTC meeting in India The 4th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Co-operation (JWGACTC), constituted under the auspices of the Indo-US Defence Trade and Technology Initiative, was organised in India from October 29, to November 3, 2017. A 13-member US delegation, headed by Rear Admiral Brian Antonio, Program Executive Officer Aircraft Carriers, visited the Shore Based Test Facility at Goa, Naval Base at Karwar, INS Vikramaditya at sea, Mazagaon Dock Limited and Headquarters Western Naval Command.

The concluding session of the Joint Working Group Meeting was held on November 3, 2017, at New Delhi and was co-chaired by Vice Admiral D.M. Deshpande, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, and Rear Admiral Brian Antonio, Programme Executive Officer Aircraft Carriers. During the meeting, both sides acknowledged the significant achievements of the Joint Working Group so far and discussed plans for future cooperation under various aspects of aircraft carrier technology such as design optimisation, construction philosophy, trials procedure and project management. A joint statement was also signed on November 3, 2017.

The meeting marked yet another significant landmark in the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the field of aircraft carrier technology. The two sides agreed to meet in the US early next year.