India, US postpone defence trade and technology talks

[WolfPack86]

A high level meeting on defence trade and weapons technology between India and the US has been postponed after a delay by the Donald Trump administration in appointing the co-head for Indo-American panel.

However, to keep the momentum going on for high-level technology between the two countries, India is sending a delegation under a Lt Gen-rank officer to further discuss military technological cooperation in America early next month.

'After the ouster of the Obama administration in January, the Americans have not yet appointed the replacement for under secretary Frank Kendell (equivalent to a secretary level officer in India) who has been discussing the defence trade and technology initiative with his counterpart here which has resulted in delays in holding a full-scale meeting of the panel,' sources in Defence ministry told Mail Today.

Indian secretary (Defence Production) Ashok Kumar Gupta heads the DTTI panel and has different teams from the three services and the DRDO to negotiate and discuss the proposals for high technology military items with the US counterparts.

Sources said the DTTI initiative has progressed well in the past under the Obama administration as the two sides have formed nine joint working groups on different-sectors of defence technology and trade for areas such as high-tech military helicopters and armoured vehicles.

More recently, the US proposed joint development and production of futuristic military helicopters as well as infantry combat vehicles in the programme.

In the high level meeting between the two sides, these projects were planned to be discussed as the Indian side has shown interest in the US offer for participation in its 'future vertical-lift (FVL) aircraft' programme.

The US has also suggested that the future infantry combat vehicle (FICV) project can be a trilateral venture with the inclusion of Israel.

India is also going ahead with a Rs 60,000- crore FICV project. India has also not shown interest in lightweight projects like the development of mini drones like the RAVEN which could be produced and manufactured by Indian companies easily.

'We are only interested in high-tech programmes as if they fructify, we will have to take clearance from the Defence Acquisition Council for their production in India along with a certificate that the product was not available with anybody else in the world and we have to do the tie-up,' the sources said.

With India being designated as the most favoured nation and the two countries also signing the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMoA) last year, the defence ties between the two countries have been on an upswing in the last decade.

US has also become the number one supplier of defence ware to India with New Delhi importing equipment worth over USD 15 billion in the last decade including transport planes such as the C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules for the Air Force.

The Navy has also chosen the American P-8I anti-submarine warfare planes for long range surveillance of its vast maritime zone while the Army is soon expected to induct M- 777 light howitzers also from there in the near future for mountain warfare.
http://www.defencenews.in/article/India,-US-postpone-defence-trade-and-technology-talks-251144

 

[HariPrasad-1]

This is nice. US was not offering any cutting edge technology and was willing to partner in some basic technologies. Had they collaborated, they would have benefited a lot from highly cheap Indian R & D. I wish they cancel the same so we may develop our own technology. However, in today's circumstances, It is not alone US's cup of tea to remain in forefront of defense and other technologies. It will sing them like their white elephant F 35. Had they collaborated with DRDO, they could have got a much better plane in just 10 bn USD compared to F 35. I hope LSA comes out with its full colors as it is planned so that we may strike inferiority complex in their mind. 104 satellites launch has done this work to a great extent and few more such shocks are required to make them fall in line. There exorbitant cost of development in R & D and development is capable of making US bankrupt. I hope Trump will fall in line very shortly. he seem to have realized this. I sow a video in which he was saying that we do not want these techies to leave US because if they go outside, they will compete with us. He will face with more realities and will recalibrate his strategy particularly India strategy.

 

[Tarun Kumar]

Whatever happens, please dont buy the junk F16.

 

[ezsasa]

Like I said in my other post today, trump is giving away americas pole position to Chinese.

Obama eroded america's economic superiority and gave it to Chinese, trump with his incompetence might just give away strategic superiority to the Chinese.

Trump administration has not even finalised second level govt appointments in many positions.

 

[Alok Arya]

Donald Trumps certainly have no idea to run nation and he definite have no faith in his sub ordinate due to his experience in corporate . Now he is facing recruitment crisis in critical post as his faithful have no experience in running nation and he has no faith in experience person . I think there is total mess in USA . President pass order , but his staffs with its all aura not able to save it in court two times . President's follower have full faith in his president , they even not believe most trusted and time tested media house . SCS is main concern of USA . They call Indian NSA , they talk only on scs but refuse to talk on Indian demand or Indian benefit . They want every thing from India , logistic support , scs support etc etc but what they pay back they even refuse to talk . This is the way now they are dealing with every one except Israel and U.K. This leads to evoparation of sense of security in USA allied states . Because doing business deal is different from doing strategic deals . Sense of security is more important in strategic deals and strategic deals have less economical senses . This leads a global situation with more role senction weaken
Russia . Russia now on behalf of China negotiating many world issue , as china feel frustrated even after all its might china fail to bring the other party to negotiation table . Whole world seems on board , with low of confidence on faces with master players also nervous . This trumps effects . What will happen no body know . Who will goes which side , no body know . But trump sir one thing is certain creating a mass is very easy . But making strategic ties with sense of confidence is very difficult and time consuming . You have capability to creat a mess , but will it contribute to positive side of USA image , and you have all power to twist the wire to more in your favour , but it is also true that each nation wire has its capacity to sustain twist .

 

[HariPrasad-1]

Whatever happens, please dont buy the junk F16.

Gripen is a far better aircraft. We had a dilemma. Now we are left with one option and better option so go for Gripen E outright for 50 numbers provided they make it here. Meanwhile keep making Tejas MK2 and pursue Kaveri next variant with atlease 34 to 66 dry and 100+ wet for Mk2. Mk2 with 6.1 ton weight and 64 KN dry can carry as much weigh as its own weight and can kill anything in dog fight.