Dear reader, online ads enable us to deliver the journalism you value. Please support us by taking a moment to
WASHINGTON: US military sales to India went from zero to $15 billion in the last 10 years and the United States hopes to get a major share in the $30 billion India plans to spend in military modernisation over the next seven years, says a senior American official.
At a recent hearing, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells told a congressional panel that Washington sees India as a major defence and strategic partner and wants New Delhi to play a key role in bringing peace and stability to its region. She also underlined the US desire to sell nuclear components to India.
“The $10 billion in US export content in the potential nuclear deal, we believe would generate 15,000 jobs,” said Ms Well in a testimony before the South Asia panel of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We obviously strongly support a prosperous India that plays a leading global role, both China and India are leading powers, but our relationship with India really stands on its own,” she said. “And it stands on its own because it’s based on democratic values, on close political and economic ties.”
“Look at the military relationship … we’re currently holding the largest military exercise with India and Japan … that brings together 10,000 personnel and our largest carriers,” she said. “With India as a major defence partner, we are able to now offer advanced technologies.”
Ms Wells recalled that during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House in June, US President Donald Trump made an ‘unprecedented offer’ of selling the Sea Guardian Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to India.
The Indian Navy has been seeking a long-endurance UAS for maritime surveillance for some years. The Sea Guardian provides a multimode maritime surface search radar and a unique identification system. The offer demonstrates a major change in US policy, as so far Washington has only provided this system to a select few of America’s closest defence partners.
“Now we want to build on that military partnership. India over the next seven years, is projected to spend $30 billion in military modernisation.
Our companies, like Boeing and Lockheed, with the F- 18s and the F-16s, are natural competitors. It would deeply enhance our interoperability with India,” Ms Wells said.
The US official also noted that 70 percent of the infrastructure, required to sustain and support the India of 2030, has yet to be built. This, she said, will be an enormous opportunity for US companies to benefit from this expansion as they already have the technology and expertise to help build the required infrastructure.
She pointed out that Boeing alone foresees a market for 2,000 commercial aircraft in South Asia over 20 years, and India will be the largest buyer. During Mr Modi’s visit, the US and India announced of a potential sale of planes worth $23 billion.
“Planes, commercial aircraft as well as military aircraft, are a key sector for exports in the future,” Ms Wells said.
The region’s growth has the potential to create a half a billion new customers for US businesses and consumer goods, financial services, technology, infrastructure, the health sector, energy, education, tourism and more.
In 2014, the United States exported more than $22 billion worth of goods to South Asia, making it the region’s number one trading partner.
Ms Wells explained that to further enhance its trade with South Asia, the United States wants to increase interregional connectivity as intraregional trade in South Asia comprises only 2 per cent of their total trade, which is the lowest in the world. Washington hopes that India would play a key role in promoting interregional trade as well.
“India is one of our most important strategic partners and a country of growing political and economic importance globally, with which our values and national interests increasingly align,” Ms Wells said.
Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2017
Comments (116) Closed
If india is really so important to americans why dont they offer f35 instead of obsolete planes like f16 and f18.....why not offer help to build nimitz class carriers in india
Two superpowers doing business.
India is at unique position who can integrate best of the technologies from even the different nations - some of them being rivals. For example Ukrainian engines on Russian vessels, Israeli missiles and radars on Russian and French planes, American plane arrester system on Russian ships. Add to that the homegrown defense industry which is catching up fast. Our ATGM Nag is said to be better than Javelin and Spike. Another example of integration of different technologies - both homegrown and foreign from different nations is Su30 MKI - which after upgradation has become better than Su-35. The next version will be even deadlier. The only countries we do not buy weapons from are China, Pakistan and probably Uganda.
Nooooooo my people don't hurt each other please, you don't know we don't need US we just need us two.
IndoPak Blood Brothers 4 Life!
And now you know why the US and India are on the same page. It's all about money, nothing more.
One cannot defeat an idea whose time has arrived. No matter what anyone does. And this is just a start, the best is yet to come.
India is unstoppable.
India focused only on developing its economy rather than interfering in neighboring countries or causing trouble there. Now it is reaping the benefits! It is zooming past and poised to become 3rd largest economy by 2025!
Wonderful
Good news.But, the truth is India will never ever try or wish or dare to be darling of USA.The nations like Russia, China, Germany, France are eager to invest on tech on Indias Make in India.Our huge talented human resource and growth potential can absorb the dsperation of all other nations to invest in this great nation.
@A shah unstoppable? until it gets stopped by shooting itself in the foot. Arrogance is a poor state of mind!
It is Millitary sales and not Aid. We paid money for whatever we purchased.. So hope there is no noise on this from our neighbours.
It's all dollars and that is it. Take the dollars away and all the Grand words like strategic partnership and all else just vanishes away. Oh yes and China. Can't ignore China. US needs someone to fight their battle with China.
To control enemy's proxI war . See the record , and who will deny . ?
@Tamza being an indian i agree, no arrogance please, these places are land of sufi saints.
Trade and security both are important for India to be a global player and Modi knows it very well.
Our ex-PM Dr. Manmohan Singh had said that the world is big enough to accommodate the rising aspirations of both India and China. How true!
@Tamza Yes, We should all learn from Pakistan about how to prosper.
@Tamza and who knows it better than our neighbors.
@Tamza arrogance indeed to consider military aid from US as a birthright.
@lafanga. For sure its dollars, the world runs on trade, business, economy. The day you realise that and stop the nefarious activities you will prosper as well. I'm assuming the chinese investments are based on sweeter than honey relationship?
@Tamza people who have aims and goals can afford to be arrogant, not the one who are totally dependent on others.
good for the security of India.
We pay and buy with our own money unlike our neighbor.
@Tamza arrogance doesn't suit the one fully dependent on others in all forms of life.
USA wants India, So anything is possible..........
India is now developing and working to improve the infrastructure in next 10-20 years. There is a lot of opportunities for everyone to join this. In next 10 years our economy would be more than 7-8 trillion and India is going to spend majority on infra project like high speed rail network, roads, freight corridors, commercial aircraft, nuclear energy, water plants, hospitals, education etc. Defense spending automatically will be more due to growing threat and growing economy.
Seeing all these we are nothing compared to our neighbour
Nothing new here, just the world reverting to it's natural order. India & China have been military & economic giants for 2500 out of 3000 yrs of recorded human history
Indians need food and clothing not war weapons
If Pakistani civilian leaders change their vision for country building rather than personal money grabbing and bring stability to the country, there will be another huge market for world in addition to India and people may benefit.
@Jing ding so you mean PAK was asking for obsolete planes from US, turkey?
@Jing ding cause its way too expensive and countries never offer their best, CPEC is the best example.
@Samrat , Can't agree more. :)
@PAK-OZ we have plenty of that, in case you didn't notice.... PAK imports veggies from India directly. Merchandise coming from Dubai is all Indian.
@PAK-OZ and Pakistanis need hospitals and education.
@lafanga There you go. So you admit it's not only business. Refer to the last paragraph which says India is most strategic partner with values and national interests align. Understand the significance of that sentence.
@PAK-OZ we decide for ourselves and not others. BTW PAK gets its food items from India mainly and Indian merchandise via Dubai.
What a waste of money........when millions of people are suffering from extreme poverty in India, Govt is wasting money on buying guns and machines which wont feed people.
@PAK-OZ Food and clothing alone wont keep one safe. We know how to run our country, suggest you concentrate on yours which is in such a wonderful situation.
@Jing ding How are you so sure f35 is not in contract? Defence related contracts are secretive in nature and does not publish in news articles. Oh Lord! Let my Pakistani friends awake.
@Jing ding
we have limited resources and have to spend wisely and as per our requirements.
and yes, we still issue visas on humanitarian grounds to anyone from our neighbourhood.
@Jing ding
F35? do you know the cost of one?$85million vs a loaded f16 $25million.........
@Jing ding US won't offer India F35 for obvious reasons and India won't take G35 because 1) Its too expensive 2) India faces threat which can be tackled with F16s, Suk30MKIs 3) India will prefer F16s because it comes with technology transfer and comes under Make in India.
Hopefully my clarification resolved all the doubts.
@Jing ding F-35 has been offered to India but India will go for Russian Mig-35 which is very close in performance to F-35 but at half the cost. Check the facts before you comment.
@Maverik "And now you know why the US and India are on the same page. It's all about money, nothing more."
call yourself a maverick? Which world do you live in? It's always about money my friend. It's not about Iron or Silver or Gold coloured friendships. These aren't bus lines. It's not higher than Himalayas but greener than grass in a relationship on the international front. Wake up and know the real world.
@Jing ding India was offered the F - 35 during th MMRCA mega deal. But India declined it because of the plane being too costly and Sukoi T50 project
@Jing ding India doesnot want a Nimitz class carrier. Too big, To Expensive, Too high on maintenance. Also India is building its own carriers. We are capable of doing that. We do not need help.
@Maverik . I wonder why you have not been able to figure this out till date. Lack of good colleges?
Still trade surplus is in our favour. Plus we have deals with Russia, Israel and few European countries also. Compare it with Pakistan China where Pakistan faces trade deficit and no diversity in terms of options.
Good for US.
@Jing ding we are jointly developing a 5th gen Aircraft with Russia, so why we will waste our money on buying extremely costly F35. Nimitz as well India already has 2 air craft careers more than China which is our biggest rival in the region so buying Nimitz doesn't make any sense, if F16s were so obsolete why it consists of major part of your airforce and why is China not giving you aircraft careers , J-10s and ICBMs :)
@Jing ding we are jointly developing a 5th gen Aircraft with Russia, so why we will waste our money on buying extremely costly F35. Nimitz as well India already has 2 air craft carriers more than China which is our biggest rival in the region so buying Nimitz doesn't make any sense, if F16s were so obsolete why it consists of major part of your airforce and why is China not giving you aircraft carriers, J-10s, and ICBMs :)
Common sense and logic say's,India is being ripped off and made dependent, by the US,defense industry for their proxy wars within the region !
Countdown of serious bad day's for India,have started, pretty soon the "Do More" mantra of the US will come into play...
@Jing ding , F-35 does not fit into make in India initiative...US will certainly love to sell F-35s to India whenever India needs them
@Jing ding because f35 is costly for Indian budget and we have agreement with Russia for the stealth technology
@Gaurav So true China Uganda Sudan etc are only countries from where we do not buy weapons
@Jing ding It seems you seldom go through the newspapers. India rejected the offer long back because India is already in a joint venture with Russia for the FGFA.
@Maverik The US & Pakistan were also on the same page due to the same reason .
15B deal actually means how many innocent lives shall go wasted in coming 15 years.
For some strange reason the world respects country with military power. Sad but that's the truth. Hence you see China and India investing in military hardware.
@Imtiaz Ali Khan Fully Support your view. When this happens, we both will be a force to reckon with.
Latest ..China supporting Burma on Rohingya crisis
@lafanga We don't need to fight someone else war like you did paying heavy price for nothing. We are buying for our security.
@PAK-OZ it applies more to pakistan isn't it? atleast India pays for this weapons while whole world knows how Pakistan gets it
@SB My similar view on Dawn was not published. Glad Dawn is addressing the latest trend.
Even Burma recently deported two Pakistani journalists. BBC is the only international new covering, but going with Government cars, they are not taking BBC to all the places.
World should have sympathy for innocent Rohingyas, Bangladesh should pressure Burma to resettle back.
I don't think Pakistan needs to worry from India, it can focus on it development but China should definitely concerned..
India should be regional hub for high tech arms production, so that all countries can have decent army and bullying countries would protect their boundaries from bullying countries.
@Jing ding yes you will see Indian condition on buying that the military needs to be made in India by these foreign companies.
The US must be happy.
@Maverik - "And now you know why the US and India are on the same page. It's all about money, nothing more."
And why do you think Pakistan and US were together? Some humanitarian project like eradication of hunger?
@PAK-OZ , Grapes are hanging to high for you!
Long live the American military-industrial complex!
india please keep buying american, right up till they pull the rug from under you. America never has partners, it only deals with those it seeks to subjugate.
With friends like Trump, who needs enemies?
@BitterTruth Don't let the Americans in on this secret. They are not going to like it. Only Israel receives stuff for free and nothing in return. Everyone else is a client state.
@Jing ding It is better than 50 billion dollar loan at 15%, most of which has to be paid as salary to Chinese expatriates...wait for it...road laying labourers because Pakistanis are not good enough? Give us a break.
Better we concentrate over our own Economy ($304.4 Billion) which is less than even a single state(Maharashtra GDP $390 Billion) of India, If we have to prosper we should forget the Hate. It is very easy to mock other with mobile comments but the ground reality is quite different.
A happy state for the US. It makes bucks from India and at the same time uses India as a regional watchdog.
@Hira pakistan runs on aid.
@Gaurav not to to forget ATAG achieving world record distance of 47.2 km with precision. Of course there will be failures but then even Israeli dome system has success rate of 70%.
@Gaurav Let us not beat our own drums. Its unbecoming of a strong nation.
Our task is to work hard and contribute meaningfully, the world will see the results on its own. Anyhow, buying weapons is not an achievement, we have millions of achievements, and billions of opportunities, lets work together to turn millions to billions in achievement.
For sure, money walks, money talks, money rocks and sometimes stalks in this capitalist world of today. That's exactly why a staunch, loyal and unwavering Russian and USSR's ally of yesteryears has become a close peer, associate, pal and friend of today.
In New World Order if country desire to remain capable , strong & dominant , the technology need continuous updated. At present India's military is uses old & most of indigenous developed arms & equipment . Now with comparing to China , next powerful neighbor ,India is preparing modern arm force by importing latest technology arms , equipment to combat any situation.
@Afreen, Pak
@Akram we are Indian and we have well educated mind sitting in our government officials. They know what to do and what not to do. And we can say NO to American where it not suits our interest. Not like yours worst political material.
@Jing ding Looks like that special favour is reserved only for China!
India pays USD 1.5 billion for arms from the US each year. US GIVES Pakistan USD 1.5 billion in aid per year. Obvious whom the US would like and favour! Time for Pakistan to regain its honour and respect.
@Jing ding Please wait this will also happen very soon.
@Amir Bhai Worth mentioning that Japan giving 80% loan for building Bullet Train in India at rate of 0.01% for 50 Years. Thats how India make deal.(Please compare the interest rate what China offered for CPEC)
@Gaurav :
Go ahead, good luck india.
$ 15 Bn spent by India, Pak would match as per it's needs. I wonder this hatred over a piece of land call K , is leading to impoverishment of teeming millions. This amount should have been spent on healthcare, primary education , job creation , agriculture , but alas , we must fight on Kashmir.
India should do more. In another 20 years, India will dominate the region.
India will buy and Pakistan will buy. Others will sell. We are losers. Others are winners
@Afreen, Pak Very good comment. You could have also said, yet the population of Maharashtra is half of Pakistan, so the comparison stops right there.
@Jing ding US will offer those too. It's just a matter of time.
@Jing ding They are. They are just not telling you !!
@Imtiaz Ali Khan The Khakhis stand to loose their un challenged princely status, power etc if there is peace.
@Priya -excellent answer Priya...
@Jing ding F35 is hive connected aircraft.India cannot efford the cost of keeping the aircraft and upgrading everything else to create the hive required by f35 to make it effective. Only modern armies with up to day equipment can upgrade to make use of F35 remote targeting and other features. Its cost trillions of dollar for the life time of F35 program only very rich can afford that.
@Gaurav Keeping hybrid equipment cost alot in term of lifetime cost. Given that each type of equipment would need long term service contracts in addition to building facilities to perform maintenance or sending them abroad in case there are no local facilities. This is why most third world countries stick to one brand so to reduce life time cost of that brand.
@Jing ding To be friends with Americans, all you have to do is buy their military stuff. To meet Trump, Modi had to spend $2 billion in arms. Indians are just modernising - they can't handle sophisticated stuff. They are thrilled that the US are seeling them F16s.
In few years, the spare parts for Pakistan's F16 would come from India but Pakistan would have to make sure it has money to pay.
@Jing ding F18 was offered to India. India declined.
@Jing ding Currently F35 is at $95 Million. Expensive jets does not mean they are efficient. US have 71 and 45 plus or so are still under testing phase.
Personally, I feel India did a good thing of not wasting money on these jets. It is using that money for bullet trains, smart cities and healthcare. As such F35 or F50000 makes no difference once a person or country has nuclear weapons. I feel even Pakistan must stop wasting money on these useless weapons and spend it on development and for people
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad ahem..what's up doc? Capitalism doesn't but national security matters. Russia mattered cos it provided when America didn't. Now you look where u get the best tech and not play favorites when the stakes are highest...
@Akram Pakistan indeed is a prosperous country. Quite a thorn in the eyes of the Non Muslim countries. One can certainly see the pain in the remarks against Pakistan.
@Jing ding Why not build the latest in India? A number of reasons. Those jobs are for the USA . They are trying to ensure that very few jobs go overseas
Secondly, India is gearing up for high tech. It is not there yet . One step at a time.
Thirdly - the USA is cognisant of other countries stealing their ideas, and will not let India do so especially with India's lack of security
@Shakti I doubt it. China will dominate definitely. The competition is over and China is the clear winner. India will just be another US client state that props up America's military industrial complex.
@Jing ding :
The F-35 is unproven and too expensive for India to purchase and maintain in large numbers. The US is helping with the lift platform in India's indigenous new aircraft carrier.
@Imtiaz Ali Khan : in an ideal world, all countries should need each other.
@lafanga :
Of course it's about money. Tell me an a business model which is viable absent profitable economics. India has an urgent need to upgrade her military defenses and the US is a highly credible supplier. A win win for both; which is ultimately the most durable platform for international relationships. None of this aid business any more which comes with huge strings attached.
@Imtiaz Ali Khan
Yes, you draw our blood..
India's money and they will use anyway they want.
@Jing ding because it is natural to offer old technology to developing countries. how can India afford F35. Unless countries like china which have money power.
This article is just a presumption and not concrete. Nevertheless, we all need to upgrade our defenses from time to time. So if its the American arms that suit our needs, so be it. By now you would be knowing that the main thrust in defense ability is not intended towards Pakistan as there are bigger challenges for India. Though we have political differences with Pakistan, we have innumerable channels of communication between us.
India has an independent foreign policy and acts on its own percieved national security. India isnt naive to lend itself for percieved threat of another country.
@faisal Have you ever visited India ? Doubt if you have even been to Wagah-Attari ? Dont assume things without knowing relevent facts.