Washington/New Delhi, Feb 14 (UNI) Defence was a major agenda on the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump with the latter announcing that his administration would pave the way to provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters.
The US President said in his White House address: “We will be increasing our military sales to India from this year by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F35 stealth fighters.”
PM Modi in his address said, referring to Defence, that the US has an important role in India’s defense preparedness. “As strategic and trusted partners, we are actively moving in the direction of joint development, joint production and transfer of technology.”
“In the coming time, new technology and equipment will increase our capability. We have decided to launch the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance. The Defence Cooperation Framework will be created for the next decade. Defence inter-operability, logistics, repair and maintenance will also be its main parts,” the PM announced.
According to the Joint Statement: The two sides firmed up a new 10-year Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership in the 21st Century, which will be signed this year.
The US would expand defense sales and co-production with India to strengthen interoperability and defense industrial cooperation.
“The leaders welcomed the significant integration of US-origin defense items into India’s inventory to date, including C‑130J Super Hercules, C‑17 Globemaster III, P‑8I Poseidon aircraft; CH‑47F Chinooks, MH‑60R Seahawks, and AH‑64E Apaches; Harpoon anti-ship missiles; M777 howitzers; and MQ‑9Bs.
“The leaders determined that the U.S. would expand defense sales and co-production with India to strengthen interoperability and defense industrial cooperation.
“They announced plans to pursue this year new procurements and co-production arrangements for “Javelin” Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and “Stryker” Infantry Combat Vehicles in India to rapidly meet India’s defense requirements.”
India is to procure six additional P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft to enhance its maritime surveillance following agreement on sale terms.
The two sides will review their respective arms transfer regulations, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), in order to streamline defense trade, technology exchange and maintenance, spare supplies and in-country repair and overhaul of U.S.-provided defense systems.
They called for opening negotiations this year for a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement.
They called for accelerating defense technology cooperation across space, air defense, missile, maritime and undersea technologies.
The US announced a review of its policy on releasing fifth generation fighters and undersea systems to India.
They announced a new initiative – the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) – to scale industry partnerships and production in the Indo-Pacific.
[The Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance refers to India-US cooperation in the area of underwater domain awareness technologies.
The US has offered a few co-production and co-development opportunities for UDA technologies, on commercial basis.
India is the very first country with whom US defence industry has offered to work with on these sensitive technologies.
Discussions are ongoing between concerned US companies and potential Indian partners in this regard. Some of the technologies offered are as follows:
• Sea Picket autonomous surveillance system with sonar acoustic array (produced by Thayer Mahan)
• Wave Glider unmanned surface vehicle systems (negotiations ongoing between Liquid Robotics/Boeing and Sagar Defence Engineering for co-production of 60 Wave Glider platforms in India)
• Low Frequency Active Towed Sonar (discussions ongoing with L3 Harris for co-development with Bharat Electronics)
• Multi-Static Active (MSA) sonobuoys (discussions ongoing with Ultra-Maritime for co-production with Bharat Dynamics Ltd.)
• Large Diameter Autonomous Undersea Vehicles (Dive LD) (produced by Andruil)
• Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicle (produced by Ocean Aero).
ASIA covers all these areas of co-development and co-production]
The two sides announced enhanced logistics and intelligence sharing; and security cooperation engagements.
Addressing the media at the White House after talks with PM Modi, the US President said that his previous administration in 2017 had revived and reinvigorated the Quad partnership, and in their meeting today PM Modi and he confirmed the relationship
“We will be working together like never before to confront the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, a threat all over the world,” the US President said.
PM Modi, in his remarks, said the partnership between India and the United States underpins democracy and democratic values and systems. “We will work together to enhance peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad will have a special role to play in this.
“In the Quad Summit to be held in India this year, we will increase cooperation with partner countries in new areas. Under the “IMEC” and “I2U2” initiative, we will work together on economic corridors and connectivity infrastructure.
“India and the United States have stood firmly together in the fight against terrorism. We agree that concerted action is necessary to eradicate cross-border terrorism.”
