India and Zimbabwe have agreed to strengthen bilateral defence ties through expanded cooperation in training, maintenance of military equipment and potential joint manufacturing, according to Zimbabwe’s Defence Ministry.
The agreement follows a high-level meeting between defence officials from both countries, which the ministry said was aimed at operationalising commitments made under a Memorandum of Understanding signed during Aero India 2025.
The two sides agreed to build on existing cooperation in areas such as support and maintenance of shared air assets, while also exploring new areas including counter-terrorism, border management and peacekeeping operations.
The Defence Ministry said the discussions marked a step forward in consolidating long-standing military relations between Harare and New Delhi, with both parties emphasising the need to translate agreements into practical cooperation.
“Both sides agreed to enhance bilateral defence ties by expanding existing cooperation in training, support and maintenance of common air assets,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added that the talks had “further reinforced ties by operationalising the objectives” set out in the earlier defence cooperation framework.
Officials also discussed opportunities for joint manufacturing of defence equipment, an area that has gained increasing attention as India expands its partnerships across Africa. New Delhi has in recent years sought to position itself as a supplier of affordable defence technology and training support to several African countries.
Zimbabwe, for its part, has been working to modernise its armed forces while also strengthening partnerships with external allies amid growing regional security challenges.
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The latest agreement reflects a broader trend of expanding India-Africa defence engagement, which has included training programmes, military exercises and defence credit lines across the continent.
Both countries also underscored the importance of cooperation in peacekeeping missions, where Zimbabwe has historically played an active role under United Nations and African Union frameworks.
Analysts say the emphasis on joint production and maintenance could help Zimbabwe reduce costs and improve operational readiness, while giving India an expanded footprint in Africa’s defence and security architecture.
The two sides are expected to follow up with technical-level engagements in the coming months to identify priority areas and implementation timelines for the cooperation framework.
The agreement adds to a series of recent diplomatic and economic engagements between India and African states, as New Delhi continues to deepen its strategic and commercial ties across the continent.
