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WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally cleared the long-pending purchase of 145 M777 ultra-light howitzers from the United States, the US media reported on Monday.
The $737 million arms deal is part of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement between the United States and India, which aims to promote greater defence cooperation between the two countries.
The Pentagon’s FMS programme facilitates sales of US defence equipment and services to foreign governments.
Under the arrangement, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency serves as an intermediary, handling procurement, logistics and delivery of the purchased equipment.
“The contract will be signed within the next two months, and the deliveries are expected to start in mid-2017,” an Indian defence official told reporters in New Delhi.
“India is certainly looking forward for a much greater defence partnership under the leadership with newly elected US President Donald Trump,” the official said.
The official also told reporters that the artillery pieces would help India target militant bases inside Pakistan without crossing the border and that’s why acquiring the howitzers was a top priority. “It will be a game changer,” he added.
Last year, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved a proposal to buy M777A2 (LW155) howitzers from the US only after a commitment from the manufacturers to set up assembly, integration and test (AIT) facilities in India to boost India’s domestic defence industry.
Under the arrangement, US subsidiary of BAE Systems will dispatch 25 M777 artillery guns in fly-away condition; remaining guns will be assembled in India in partnership with private sector company Mahindra Defence Systems.
“Developing a supply chain in India is key to our vision to develop technologies and solutions in India for both the home market and for export,” the US manufacturer said.
The two companies will jointly set up an AIT facility for M777 artillery guns near New Delhi.
The Indian Army has not inducted any type of 155mm howitzers since 1986. The army is seeking a total of 220 ultra-light howitzers over the next 15 years.
The M777 is a 155mm 39-calibre towed gun which enables rapid deployment and accurate artillery fire support. It is the world’s first 155mm Howitzer weighing less than 4,218kg.
Highly mobile on land, at sea and in the air, the M777 has increased survivability through tactical and strategic mobility, low thermal and radar signature, rapid emplacement/displacement and low silhouette.
Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2016
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Comments (71) Closed
Nov 23, 2016 12:44pm
The ever more sophisticated weapons piling up in the arsenals of the wealthiest and the mightiest can kill the illiterate, the ill, the poor and the hungry, but they cannot kill ignorance, illness, poverty or hunger... the irony is...A weapon does not decide whether or not to kill. A weapon is a manifestation of a decision that has already been made. GOOD LUCK..
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Nov 23, 2016 12:45pm
U.S. will be friend until you buy arms from them and never say NO to them.
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Nov 23, 2016 12:50pm
Good move
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Nov 23, 2016 01:12pm
Great decision. Now we can see an active government.
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Nov 23, 2016 01:14pm
@kiamal Pasha usa will be friend unless you are a dictatorship. Usa' friendship with pakistan Iran Iraq and plenty of countries in Africa and south America, all dictatorships, is different then it's friendship with democracies around the world.
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Nov 23, 2016 01:16pm
@kiamal Pasha thats the reason we will have them in our pocket by maintaining excellent relations with their opponents such as Russia as well as China and Iran as you must've noticed.
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Nov 23, 2016 01:22pm
@kiamal Pasha Every one in this world are others friend as long as their own interests are fulfilled,so US is no exemption and so are others.
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Nov 23, 2016 01:26pm
Spread Peace ! India & Pakistan should be like US & Canada,
India & Pakistan Should help each other instead killing each other, nobody will get benefit out of that !
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Nov 23, 2016 01:30pm
You can buy anything in the world if you have money.
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Nov 23, 2016 01:39pm
Has Bofor guns already rotted, what a waste of resources.
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Nov 23, 2016 01:40pm
@khanm wow...such deep thoughts..
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Nov 23, 2016 02:05pm
@Masoud No Bofors are not rotted and are extremely successful machine whose upgraded versions are built by India in India itself and have been inducted in Indian forces as well.This M777 is mere new addition to Indian arsenl that complement the existing Bofors not supplement them.
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Nov 23, 2016 02:07pm
@khanm Beautifully put
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Nov 23, 2016 02:21pm
This is an unwise sale given the Indian Ary just murdered 9 civilians in Azad Kashmir usng such guns.
The US is on the wrong side of humanity and international law on this one!
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Nov 23, 2016 02:25pm
@khanm You have left me speechless with the last line you wrote ' A weapon is a manifestation of a decision that has already been made' . Amazing lines!!!Wow!
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Nov 23, 2016 02:37pm
Even if dollor is taken as low as 50 rupee, still 737m comes to be 3685 crore rupees. Isn't it a huge amount ? Feels bad. We can spend on much better things.
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Nov 23, 2016 02:44pm
To KHANM:-Weapon is tool to enforce rule of law and discipline in civilized country.....
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Nov 23, 2016 02:49pm
@Masoud Well my friend I do agree with you, We Indians need roads,sanitation , education and dozens of other basic necessities . I stay in New Delhi and see so many people sleeping on roads , This money could be well spent on uplifting people , Giving them a good life , but alas what is it spent on some piece of weaponry that can only be used to kill people . You're right what a waste of resources.
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Nov 23, 2016 02:54pm
Hail Modiji . . .and thanks to the entire establishment.proud to be an Indian
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Nov 23, 2016 02:55pm
This extremist PM has bad priorities.First solve poverty,women rights,Toilets,intolerance and much more in your country.He is not even 1 percent of Sir Gandhi.
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Nov 23, 2016 02:59pm
US best. Well tested in Iraq and Afghanistan. Highly mobile by land/sea/ air, the M777 is unsurpassed in tactical & strategic mobility. Has low thermal & radar signature, rapid emplacement / displacement, low silhouette.
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Nov 23, 2016 03:04pm
@khanm much truth in your words
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Nov 23, 2016 03:12pm
@khanm 'buy' is the key word here ... the country doesn't matter
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Nov 23, 2016 03:17pm
@Peace , Correct. He is not even 1% of Gandhi..But in the current situation we don't really need a Gandhi here. Modi is what the country needs NOW.
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Nov 23, 2016 03:23pm
Poor India. Can't make it by itself at home.
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Nov 23, 2016 03:32pm
@Gem Khan Poor India is on Mars
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Nov 23, 2016 03:41pm
India or Hindustan was ruled by foreigners for more than 1000 years. What did it got in return?.
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Nov 23, 2016 03:42pm
Instead of solving the Kashmir problem directly with Pakistan, India has taken the long route.
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Nov 23, 2016 03:51pm
no offence but as they say its not the machine..it man behind the machine
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Nov 23, 2016 03:53pm
thats what they do, keep the tension between two entities high so that hardware can be sold. hope our high qualified politician can think that too.
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Nov 23, 2016 03:57pm
@Masoud : Bororse is out dated. We have made our own gun which is more powerful than Boforse but also require more powerful weapon like this one with more range.
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Nov 23, 2016 04:05pm
@jaydeep : This money can not be spent on those people sleeping on road. Thats a separate issue. Dont relate it with this. We have more money and funds for that. People who sleep on road will always sleep on road as it is adjacent to their livelihood. It was tried earlier to provide them with houses but it is seen that they put those houses on rent or sale and again sleep on roads.
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Nov 23, 2016 04:21pm
@nooneabovethelaw : What do you think? What could be the probable solution?
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Nov 23, 2016 04:24pm
@Ashwin defence is equally important than other stuffs dude. .and morever India is a defender..not an aggressor
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Nov 23, 2016 04:36pm
Right deal, right price and right time
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Nov 23, 2016 04:41pm
Good job India. Keep it up.
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Nov 23, 2016 05:17pm
A superpower in the making
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Nov 23, 2016 05:18pm
@rama ....My pal civilized country does not need weapons... May be in India and Pakistan there are millions of writers who could stop the destruction of civilizations...Pal. unfortunately we have become self destructive... We seldom realize, for example that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages, religions and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society....
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Nov 23, 2016 05:20pm
India has just made a $100billion by wiping out the black money. So time to go shopping.
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Nov 23, 2016 05:23pm
@kerala hail Modiji !!
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Nov 23, 2016 05:27pm
Ahh it makes sense now. USA will clean sweep indian bank accounts.this is why they made friends with india! Another east india company inthe making but with a different agenda......sell weapons till they have nothing left.
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Nov 23, 2016 05:43pm
This is the reason why both countries are fighting, between our personal disagreement, there is an issue of suppliers who are the winners in this all. Pity that even the most educated liberals and technocrats across both sides not fight the common enemy and keep cutting their own arms and legs.
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Nov 23, 2016 05:45pm
Had both of our countries been at peace and lived like brothers, we would have progressed greater than Usa or China. Hope all of us understand . The west and China are prospering because of our battles.
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Nov 23, 2016 05:56pm
@khanm : Nice lines.
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Nov 23, 2016 06:03pm
Great job by Mr. Modi. I like this man, he is developing India by all. Great PM.
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Nov 23, 2016 06:11pm
Its just astonishing how excited the population od both India and Pakistan get when a weapon deal goes through! Does any one realise the fact that the weapons race is intended to kill you and your loved ones
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Nov 23, 2016 07:26pm
I wonder Pakistan will do something about now before it's too late
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Nov 23, 2016 07:30pm
@rama spend on peace and people
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Nov 23, 2016 07:30pm
Mode Govt is a war monger Pakistan will have to follow suit
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Nov 23, 2016 08:11pm
PM Modi is obsessed with war mongering, spending another $737 million for more guns. Where will he use it? Against China? No chance. Against Pakistan? No chance. India's overwhelming conventional weapons advantage is blunted by Pakistan's nuclear weapon's capability.
If these guns are ever fired on Pakistan or any other military adventurism will invite swift retaliation which will escalate to a nuclear war. Therefore, PM Modi must abandon such insanity, and instead be a leader for "peace, stability and friendship".
That would be a world leader and statesman.
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Nov 23, 2016 08:39pm
Sounds like typical Indian Movie
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Nov 23, 2016 10:09pm
@jaydeep finally the truth nothing but the truth, myself pakistani who believes
in peace and harmony, i always say make love not war. stop this mania
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Nov 23, 2016 11:14pm
@Horus had India honoured the UN resolution on kashmir plebiscite in 1948, which it signed, we all would be living in peace.
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Nov 23, 2016 11:50pm
Business must go on.
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Nov 24, 2016 01:25am
@Masoud - nope, they were effectively used in kargil.. now just resting out.. our new howitzers will take place... bofors will be brought in when its time.
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Nov 24, 2016 05:53am
@khanm love your comment.
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Nov 24, 2016 11:23am
@khanm well said
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Nov 24, 2016 12:52pm
@khanman and also the quality of opposition
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Nov 24, 2016 04:54pm
@Satya ..Wow Satya.. truly said..
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Nov 25, 2016 07:08am
@raja what the heck are you talking about? We, the usa have supported many dictators into power. You do not know your history too well.
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Nov 25, 2016 10:33am
Sorry fellas, Kashmir gives India $40 billion dollars budget which is likey to be $100 billion in 10 years. Kashmir brings in a lot of security related jobs, defense production plants, research and a lot of goodwill in foreign countries, and of course, aa lot of corruption $.
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Nov 25, 2016 10:45am
@A Shah india has??? How does it benegit the people??? What percentage of people in India live below the poverty level???
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Nov 25, 2016 11:38am
@Adil Jadoon - 21% now and rapidly coming down as we speak.
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Nov 25, 2016 11:51am
@Zak - read the UN resolution PLEASE.
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Nov 25, 2016 12:54pm
Hope and pray that our government gets more pragmatic and honest before its too late, ditto with our establishment. All the very best to our subcontinent.
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Nov 25, 2016 01:04pm
Hmmm, before the British came to our subcontinent, the Chinese and undivided India had 55% of the world GDP between them, in spite of all the loot and plunder carted away to faraway shores. If you do not believe, please refer to the Maddison project initiated by renowned economist and European researcher Angus Maddison. The 26% of world GDP for India as compared to 2% of world GDP for Britain had reversed by the time the British left India. Any wonder why India was called the "Golden bird" with empires from far and wide coming to conquer it? Today again India is getting there, and this time as a much stronger democracy with better unity and purpose.
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Nov 25, 2016 03:14pm
I don't understand why Indians and Pakistanis get all happy over weapon purchases. You guys do understand that the next war will be a nuclear war right??. So when the nukes drop a majority of both countries population will be dead. Now let's say you survive there will be such limited resources that Indians will kill Indians for food and Pakistanis will kill pakistanis for food. Then the air will have soo much radiation that more people will die. The only people that will be sitting back and laughing will be the countries that made money selling us these weapons. Oh and modi and nawaz will be sitting in other countries while you guys are dying. Now do you guys know that US and Canada have more then 1 piece of land that is under dispute. The US spends trillions on military canada doesn't because it's a peaceful country. Canada and the US have solved more then 1 dispute. How did the do it?. They sat down and talked about it and/or went to court. This is what we need to do sit and talk.
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Nov 25, 2016 07:37pm
Who is the real winner of this transaction of almost one billion dollars? Of course, American company which manufatures these long range guns. India will be dependent on the American company for the parts and maintainenace as long as they are in operation. The company is already working on an advanved model.After few years , they will become obsolte when a better/advanced model is developed.USA slapped sanctions on India when it exploded neclear device few decades ago. India,s development of a jet fighter locally was shelved for lack of engines and millions of dollars investment in the project was lost for ever.
Now,If India does not tow American policy which will agonize Russia, US will exert pressure by not allowing the export of parts. India may be feeling good at this time but long term consequences will hurt the country. You can,t maintain good relations with Russia while purchasing US arms when most of the military hardware in the country is Russian origin.
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Nov 26, 2016 12:30pm
The Indian Army has also announced plans to acquire 145 guns for 30 billion but purchase plans were overtaken when the procurement process was restarted in July 2010. India's Ministry of Defence cleared the proposal for buying 145 guns on 11 May 2012.This would be put up before the Ministry of Finance for clearance and will subsequently be taken up by the Cabinet Committee.On 2 August 2013, India requested the sale of 145 M777 howitzers for $885 million.On 24 February 2014 the purchase was again postponed.On 11 May 2014 the purchase was cleared by India's Defence ministry. On 11 July 2014, the Govt announced that it would not order the guns because of cost issues. On 22 Nov 2014, the selection process was restarted under the "Make In India" program.On 13 May 2015, The defence ministry approved Rs 2,900 crore to buy 145 American M-777. On 15 Dec 2015, the Ministry of Defence said it was keen on placing a follow-up order of 500 M777 guns.
Are you guys really sure to buy this time???
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Nov 26, 2016 10:12pm
Defense cooperation has a price tag.
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Nov 26, 2016 10:27pm
@Pakistani .... How could they be used in Kashmir if India has not purchased them yet?
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