India, US poised for $8bn defence deals

[shubhamsaikia]

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NEW DELHI: As India emerges as the third largest market for US foreign military sales (FMS), the new US ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, said on Friday that the two countries are poised to sign an additional $8 billion deal in direct commercial and foreign military sales.

Powell said that US-India partnership has experienced one of the highest growth rates in the Pacific.

"With the C-17 and C-130J sale, we have more than doubled our total foreign military sales and posted sales making India the third largest FMS market for 2011,"' she said, addressing the 20th annual general meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce.

Powell did not go into the specifics of the deals likely to be signed in what was her first public speech in India.

"As we share more common equipment, our bilateral defense ties will become stronger. India will be able to assume a larger leadership role in the region and effectively respond to security concerns and humanitarian relief operations,'' she added. She said equipment sales are critical to India's military modernization.

According to Powell, that Obama recently called for reforms to US export control system will create a more streamlined approach to secure trade. "This new approach will help US exporters to be more competitive and reliable suppliers of innovative technologies. We in turn expect India to sign up to and adhere to appropriate international regimes,'' she said.

She described as another recent success story Boeing and Air India completing the most publicized aviation deal in recent history. "Air India's purchase of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft will be a significant boost for US jobs and exports and the Indian aviation sector. The fuel-efficient Dreamliners are a key component of Air India's restructuring plan as India positions itself to become a global aviation hub,'' she said.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiat...2_1_dreamliners-air-india-global-aviation-hub

 

[mayfair]

I suppose this would include

22 X AH-64D: $1.4 billion

6 X C-130J: $1.2 billion

145 X M777 155mm Light-weight Howitzers: $650 million

What's the rest for?

More C-17s? Jaguar engines? P-8Is?

 

[nimo_cn]

Indian defence department is among the richest on this planet.

 

[sayareakd]

Indian defence department is among the richest on this planet.

it is not department it is Ministry of defence.

 

[Mad Indian]

Indian defence department is among the richest on this planet.

Nah, they just spend it on the outsiders and hence makes news. But nothing compared to our northern neighbors, who spend four times as much as us Indians.