US and India sign 10-year defence cooperation agreement

Asia-Pacific, News, US June 4, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

India and the United States have sealed an agreement to jointly develop protective gear for soldiers against biological and chemical warfare, and another on building generators, defense officials said.

The two countries will also look at cooperation in jet engine and aircraft carrier design and construction besides co-development and co-production of weapon system, Indian foreign ministry statement said on Thursday.

The projects were cleared as US Defense Secretary Ash Carter held talks with Indian leaders to expand security ties between countries that were on at odds at times during the Cold War but have since drawn closer against the rising weight of China.

Mr. Carter and Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar signed an agreement known as the 2015 Framework for the U.S.-India Defense Relationship. The pact, which will focus on maritime security and other initiatives, extends for another decade cooperation between the U.S. and Indian militaries.

The defence framework was agreed during President Obama’s visit to New Delhi in January.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, center, walks with India’s Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar after his ceremonial reception in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday. Reuters Photo

Mr. Carter said Washington and New Delhi would jointly develop a solar generator and a new, protective chemical-bio suit, projects that would get under way this summer. The dollar value of the agreements—about $2 million—was less significant than what they represented, he said.

“We have big ambitions,” Mr. Carter told reporters. “Some of the projects that we’re launching just now are in part intended to blaze a trail for things to come.”

The Pentagon chief also met his counterpart Manohar Parrikar and finalised the defence project agreements for the joint development of “mobile electric hybrid power sources and next generation protective ensembles.”

The U.S. and Indian governments will jointly research and develop both a “next-generation” generator, aimed at addressing energy issues in the field, and a lighter, more “breathable” protective suit for troops working in biohazard environments.

Although the U.S. works closely with several dozen countries to jointly develop defense technologies, U.S. officials said the initiative with India was significant because of the “broader, strategic effort” with New Delhi that underpins it.

U.S. officials say the two governments are also working on a new, mini drone and a series of other joint development projects. There are hopes over time to work together on the development of jet engines and even aircraft carriers, Mr. Carter said.

Maritime security was the key theme to Mr. Carter’s foreign trip, an 11-day swing through Southeast Asia and beyond, in which the focus has been on security in the South China Sea. China has continued to expand a series of artificial islands there and Mr. Carter has called on Beijing and other claimants to the chain of islands to stop construction there.

According to IHS, the US exported $68 million worth of equipment to India in 2010. Just four years later, that number had risen to $2268 million, thus making the US India’s single largest supplier last year. Moreover, the US has a $13 billion backlog of defense orders from India as of 2015. Whilst Russia, India’s traditional partner of choice has a $10 billion backlog of defence orders from India as of 2015.

New Delhi’s growing wariness of China has created further openings for an expansion of defense relations with the US. Washington is currently involved in its “Pivot to Asia,” an attempt to refocus military and political efforts towards China’s areas of strategic interest. The US might see India as a local counterbalance to Chinese power, which may explain why the US is willing to share such advanced technologies.