Having already bagged Indian defence contracts worth over $8 billion in recent years after muscling out Russia, Israel and France, the US is now headed towards clinching another four major deals worth almost $5 billion. Defence ministry sources said the deals for six more C‐130J “Super Hercules” aircraft ($1.2 billion), 22 Apache attack helicopters ($1.4 billion), 145 M‐777 ultra‐light howitzers ($885 million) and 15 Chinook heavy lift helicopters (around $1 billion) “are in the final stages” now. India will convey this to US deputy secretary of defence Ashton B Carter when he arrives in New Delhi next week. Carter, who will hold talks with defence minister Mr A K Antony, national security advisor Mr Shiv Shankar Menon and defence secretary Mr R K Mathur, is the Obama administration’s “point man” for expanding defence trade with India as a cornerstone of bilateral strategic ties. The deals should be inked within this financial year (2013‐2014) despite budgetary constraints.
Source: Times of India
Leave Your Comment