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US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will be embarking on his first ever visit to India in present capacity to boost India-US defence and strategic ties with a focus on expanding defence trade that has reached $15 billion in 2016 from about $1 billion in 2008.
Mattis will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 26 and will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the India Gate, stated a release by the US Department of Defence. “The secretary will emphasize that the United States views India as a valued and influential partner, with broad mutual interests extending well beyond South Asia. This is the first Cabinet-level visit to India under the Trump administration,” the release issued on Saturday stated.
Mattis comes at a time when both countries have vowed to expand their defence ties under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). America defence firms see huge opportunity in the Indian defence market even as the government has evinced interest in procuring fighter planes, helicopters and drones and other such armaments.
US has already become India’s top defence supplier with the sale of 3 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft, 10 C-17 Globemaster and 12 P-8 Poseidon aircraft from Boeing, as well as 22 AH-64 Apache and 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters. US and India has also signed a deal worth $750 million under which the government will be buying 145 M777 Howitzer guns for the Indian Army. This was signed in December 2016.
America is now pushing India to buy around 100-150 the F-16 Block 70 combat aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin as well as around 20 Sea Guardian drones. These deals are expected to inject about $15 billion more into the already rising defence trade, sources told BusinessLine .
Under DTTI, there are seven joint working groups to explore collaborative projects and programs and signed two Science and Technology government-to-government project agreements – the Next Generation Protective Ensembles and Mobile Hybrid Power Sources – worth roughly $2 million.
Last year, US recognised India as one of its ‘Major Defence Partner.’ Both countries are also engaged in a trilateral annual naval exercise – Malabar – with Japan. Apart from this, the armed forces of both countries also conduct joint exercise – Yudh Abhyas – to strengthen inter-operability to conduct counter terrorism, counter insurgency, regional security and peace-keeping operations.
However, it remains to be seen whether US is willing to agree to transfer of technology for its armaments under the government’s ‘Make in India’ strategy.
Focus on Afghanistan
US is also keen to understand India’s stand on its Afghanistan policy. American President Donald Trump has made it clear that he wants India to help US by way economic assistance towards reconstruction of the war-torn country. He has even linked it with the trade deficit US faces with India. “The secretary will also express U.S. appreciation for India’s important contributions toward Afghanistan’s democracy, stability, prosperity, and security,” the release added.
This issue was also discussed during a meeting between Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in New York on Friday.
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