A first: US allowed to check Indian warship

Ray

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A first: US allowed to check Indian warship

SUJAN DUTTA




he INS Jalashva and (right) a UH 3H helicopter from the Indian Naval Air Squadron 538 on its deck

New Delhi, Aug. 6: India has for the first time permitted the US to inspect an Indian warship to ensure that the navy was not distorting its use, a senior source in the defence establishment has confirmed to The Telegraph.

This is the first time that India permitted an "intrusive" inspection of one of its key military platforms by foreigners.

Ironically, the first inspection in the country has happened under defence minister A.K. Antony's watch even though he is particularly touchy on the subject of defence relations with the US.

But instead of allowing the US "Golden Sentry" team to board and examine the equipment, the Indian Navy removed the equipment from the warship — also imported from the US — and asked the inspectors from Pentagon to check them at a different location.

The navy is still queasy and uncomfortable about allowing foreign inspectors to check its platforms. But it was complying with the provisions of an End-User Monitoring Agreement that India standardised with the US in 2009.

Asked about the inspection, an Indian defence ministry source said: "This is really a matter for the navy and it is not up to us. We are not aware of it."

An Indian navy source said: "We are complying with what was agreed between governments," but he declined to call the inspection "intrusive".

Queried by The Telegraph, a US embassy official said: "These (such inspections) are really in the domain of government-to-government relations between India and the US and in accordance with legal requirements."

The inspection took place in late 2011. Since then, the Indian Navy has refitted the INS Jalashva — formerly the USS Trenton. Much of the new electronic equipment such as navigational aids have been manufactured in India's own defence public sector undertakings like Bharat Electronics Limited.

The INS Jalashva (L41) was known as the USS Trenton before the Indian Navy inducted it in its eastern fleet in June 2007 at a cost of about $50 million plus about $40 million for six helicopters.

The purchase of the USS Trenton was red-flagged by the comptroller and auditor general in a March 2008 report.

The equipment the US inspectors asked to check were night-vision devices used by the INS Jalashva landing platform dock and its six onboard UH-3H Seaking maritime utility transport helicopters.

Distinctly uncomfortable with the US request to inspect the equipment, the navy at first tried to fob it off. But then reached a compromise.

The navy told the US inspectors that it would remove the components from the Jalashva that is based at the eastern fleet headquarters in Vishakhapatnam where they could be checked.

It is understood that the devices were removed from the ship and the helicopters and taken to an airfield/helipad where the inspection was carried out.

The Pentagon's Defence Sales Cooperation Agency (DSCA) classified night-vision devices as highly sensitive equipment. Modern night-vision devices used on warships are sophisticated digitised machinery packed into waterproof containers with telescopic sights.

An image intensifier highlights the target being sighted and magnifies it to a level of light that allows the trained human eye to interpret them. The digital records of the images sighted through the device can be logged. Theoretically, an inspector can go through the logs to check the images that have been sighted and recorded.

India has signed or has in the pipeline $10 billion of US-origin military hardware. Each of the projects is liable to be inspected under the US' Arms Export Control Act administered by the Pentagon's DSCA that has to submit "annual compliance reports".

The US has end-user agreements with about 80 countries but it is still politically unpalatable in many countries.

Military equipment, such as the INS Jalashva, purchased through a government-to-government foreign military sales programme are subject to inspections under the Pentagon's "Golden Sentry" programme that dispatches "Tiger Teams" to do the job.

Direct commercial sales of military hardware by US-based companies to India are subject to inspections under a programme called "Blue Lantern".

A first: US allowed to check Indian warship
This is what happens when you buy US equipment.
 

W.G.Ewald

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:shocked:
Asked about the inspection, an Indian defence ministry source said: "This is really a matter for the navy and it is not up to us. We are not aware of it."
Well, there's a bad precedent. IN is going to set itself up in business separate from MoD? Imagine the possibilities!
 

pmaitra

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There is a big debate between procuring weapons from Russia, Israel, and France, who require less stringent regulations, and from USA, that requires a lot of checks and balances. Sensible from the US point of view, but is it sensible form the Indian point of view?

This brings to the fore the fundamental problem - indigenization.
 

Rahul Singh

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I am feeling insulted............It was for a reason why people had supported an idea of developing/building next generation MPA by sourcing platform and much of the electronics from all over world (except US) with or without technical help. I am sure, Navy ranks operating and commanding P-8Is won't like it at all when these US inspectors will jump inside their aircraft.
 

mahesh

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was it neccesary to purchase USS Trenton (INS Jalashva (L41)) from US even when you know US equipments purchases willl come under US' Arms Export Control Act !!!!

and still how long this will happen on INS Jalashva's part ? till it's decommissioned ?

i can't imagine india has signed or has in the pipeline $10 billion of US-origin military hardware.
 

The Messiah

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Waiting for reaction from comrades...:scared1:
Piss off! This has nothing to do with left wing or right wing.

Any Indian would be against this thing. I am not against usa because of some ideological shit...i am against it because i know what will happen.

Btw i also support our defense relationship with israel...so how does that fit in with my supposed ideology ? I will support relation with the devil if it benefitted India. But for some people petty politics is above the motherland.
 

roma

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it's actually better for both nations to send a strong signal to the usa about one's dislike of these inspections and that it will affect future purchases - india has alternatives - better let the usa know and save the relationship
 

asianobserve

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What's the fuss all about? Inspection? That's not a big matter. India should also inspect US weapons... :thumb:
 

Ray

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The fuss is about some fat-@ss global police coming and inspecting our stuff.

I don't know how my country men fell about it but personally it burns
To be fair, we should not have bought the ship.

It was a part of the Agreement.

Can't renegade on that now!
 

KS

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Piss off! This has nothing to do with left wing or right wing.

Any Indian would be against this thing. I am not against usa because of some ideological shit...i am against it because i know what will happen.

Btw i also support our defense relationship with israel...so how does that fit in with my supposed ideology ? I will support relation with the devil if it benefitted India. But for some people petty politics is above the motherland.
Oh please..just dont puff up your chest like a pigeon.

If you dont agree to their conditions or like it, just dont buy stuff from them. Very simple. They aint forcing us to buy anything.

But if you want to buy from them in view of the superior technology, precise delivery times then unfortunately we have to agree with their conditions. Its not like the powers-that-be did not know of this when they bought it. Just like we still have not got access to the engine technology in Brahmos.
 
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charlyondfi

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so the INS Jalshwa will no where be used in any case of war scenario...
Come on, it's a 40+ years vessel (1971), and NOT even of 1st-line combat-ship building standard. How much you will be confident deploying it in war scenario?

Personal feeling aside, ask yourself: what's the biggest value of Trenton (Jalshwa) to India?

It should be India got an opportunity to study & copy the design of an LPD, and then manufacture at least half a dozen (not too many considering India's needs in humanitarian aid and power projection in conflict). You are already building a 45k tons AC. What's that in a 10k tons LPD.

Want some fun? after that, you can keep Jalashwa there, watching US personnel does as many inspections as they like, while staring all the new-built ones... :cool2:(just can't resist it... ...)

Just like we still have not got access to the engine technology in Brahmos.
Honestly, I am NOT so aware of this. That's a ramjet, right? In that case, exactly how much indigenous rate India has on Brahmos?
 
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aerokan

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Piss off! This has nothing to do with left wing or right wing.

Any Indian would be against this thing. I am not against usa because of some ideological shit...i am against it because i know what will happen.

Btw i also support our defense relationship with israel...so how does that fit in with my supposed ideology ? I will support relation with the devil if it benefitted India. But for some people petty politics is above the motherland.
hahahaha.. What a joke!! Generally left wingers are the most vocal against US. Right wingers here are in consensus with left wingers when there is an attack on the soverignity of the nation. I would have been more happy if u actually bashed USA in your regular style. At minimum, they deserve it this time for stepping on India's soverign status. I am seriously disappointed that you haven't blasted US at the best possible occasion. You would have gotten a like or two from me if you had done that.

On the other hand, the self-proclaimed nationalist in you couldn't resist in another thread which used 'RAW spy defection to US' to unnecessarily bring in right wing and actually made a spiteful remark there, when it is about the country. I was dismayed at your thought process but refrained myself from commenting to avoid unnecessary conflict. And the funny part in this thread is karthik didn't name u but u started loud mouthing. He just asked for comrades reactions and that isn't a bad thing at all in this thread. :rolleyes:
 

SADAKHUSH

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Absolutely against such a deal with any nation. It is time to focus and take action to bring in the bright minds from public and private sector to develop locally conceived ideas into operational equipment.
 
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KS

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Absolutely against such a deal with any nation. It is time to focus and take action to bring in the bright minds from public and private sector to develop locally conceived ideas into operational equipment.
Exactly. It's not that I agree with such actions by the US. But what is the alternative ? Can a shipyard in India design such an LPD and reduce India's dependence.? That has not been the case so far and frankly I even dont see a sense in spending billions on LPDs which are of not much use to India in the near future except perhaps on humanitarian/evac missions. So it made economic sense for India to buy the USS Trenton and on buying that we - whether we like or not - are bound to the conditions written in the contract. No use huffing and puffing now as if chastity has suddenly been lost..

Such fake nationalism and ghairat. Reminds me of Pakis.
 

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