The growing Indo-US Defence Ties (Part 1)
By : Satyam Pathak
By the medium of this post, we would like to throw some light that to from different directions on the bilateral defence ties between the two big democracies, India and US. Owing to the importance of this topic we have tried to explain it in few parts.
Updated: 03 Apr
By the medium of this post, we would like to throw some light that to from different directions on the bilateral defence ties between the two big democracies, India and US. Owing to the importance of this topic we have tried to explain it in few parts.
It has always been a distant dream of every prime minister of India to expand country's combat capabilities and to transform the status of it from world's largest arms importer to a potential defence equipment manufacturer.
Under the PM Modi flagship 'Make In India', the focus will now be on joint development and production of military technology. To facilitate this, the new government has already taken a big decision to increase FDI cap in defence sector from 26% to 49% and also it has allowed the the foreign defence industry to directly build more components in India without having any special license. These steps have made it easier for India to partner with foreign firms.
To deepen bilateral defence ties and to meet the above said motives, a new 10-year strategically significant defence pact was renewed between Defence Minster of India Manohar Parrikar and his counterpart US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter this week as it was agreed earlier during US President Barack Obama's India visit this new year. In the month of January both sides had earlier identified four key "Pathfinder Projects" for co-development and co-production under the 'Defence Trade and Technology Initiative' (DDTI).
Apart from this pact, two other key projects were finalised for the joint development of the next generation protective gear and also of mobile electric hybrid power sources (mobile power generators) for the soldiers.
Under the latest '2015 India-US Defence Framework Agreement', signed between the two sides during Carter's India visit, the Indo-US defence ties will get a good definition over the next decade.
The highly appreciated framework is expected to open up the provisions of high-level strategic discussions, continued exchanges between armed forces and strengthening of military preparedness. This pact also envisages the joint development and manufacture of military technology including jet engines, aircraft carrier design and construction.
The previous version of pact, which was signed in 2005 and going to be expired this year, laid the foundations for a robust bilateral ties between the two countries.
US and India were on opposite sides during cold war but now it has recognised India as a strategically important partner. Ties between two sides have been enhanced since Narendra Modi became PM of India. Since then, several new trade and security deals have been signed between Washington and New Delhi.
Earlier India was highly dependent on Russia for its military preparedness but to certain reasons, the warmth between India Russia defence ties is evaporating slowly. Now US has became one of the top source of military weapons unseating Russia.
Meanwhile, India's hostile neighbour Pakistan has lashed out against the India US defence deal.
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