Cancellation of Gates'' India visit a missed opportunity:US

[angeldemon_007]

Washington, Mar 15 (PTI) The cancellation of the India-US Strategic Dialogue due to assembly elections in India, in which Defence Secretary Robert Gates was scheduled to participate along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is being termed as a missed opportunity by the Pentagon.

Gates was eagerly looking forward to his India trip in the first week of April along with Clinton, a senior Obama Administration official said, adding that visit of the top two cabinet members would have elevated the India-US strategic Dialogue.

This possibly would have been the last visit of Gates in his capacity as the Defence Secretary as he has indicated to leave the current post early this year.

Officials said Gates, who was keen to travel to New Delhi even in midst of the political unrest in the Middle East, is believed to express his disappointment over the cancellation of the visit.

The officials familiar with the discussion between India and the US said that the office of the Defence Secretary was informed that Indian Defence Minister A K Antony would be unavailable when Gates visits New Delhi.

When pressed, the office of the Defence Secretary was informed that "it would be suicidal" for an Indian politician to not to be in his constituency and instead have meetings in New Delhi with foreign dignitaries during election period.

Officials indicated that Gates is now unlikely to travel to New Delhi given his packed schedule henceforth.

The dates for the first week of April were decided months in advance, and it was the only dates when both Clinton and Gates were available.

Antony hails from Kerala which will go to polls in April.

Cancellation of Gates'' India visit a missed opportunity:US -  International News

 

[Kinetic]

For our ministers local politics is always above national interest. There is nothing new in it. Antony may forgot that he is the defence minister of India rather a congress politician from Kerala.

 

[BoseDK]

We will decide our own sweet time, when to meet American ministers and officials.

It is not India which missed the oppurtunity but infact it is Mr Gates who missed the oppurtunity to be in India in his last working days.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Good. If something very important needed to be discussed with Gates, A.K. Anthony would have found some way to meet with him; since there is'nt, Anthony is off to his constituency. Perfectly Kosher. And if Gates still thinks he has something important to say (apart from selling jets i.e.) he can try again later.

 

[kingkobra]

haha what else can one expect from congies??
it would have been an interesting debate with gates.

 

[luckyyy]

Good. If something very important needed to be discussed with Gates, A.K. Anthony would have found some way to meet with him; since there is'nt, Anthony is off to his constituency. Perfectly Kosher. And if Gates still thinks he has something important to say (apart from selling jets i.e.) he can try again later.

Probably he won't get a chance now ...

 

[perplexed]

Everyone knows why antony avoided him. The principal purpose of the visit was to prod MoD to expedite the MMRCA deal in favour of F18/Hornet. Antony is strictly against foreign lobby groups in defence sector and wont budge to their demands. In short, the cancellation is not a lost opportunity, atleast not this side.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Probably he won't get a chance now ...

Oh, you mean: "Apply, apply; no reply".

 

[madooxno9]

Defence Secretary was informed that Indian Defence Minister A K Antony would be unavailable when Gates visits New Delhi.

These aforesaid content is fishy and i bet 100% it is related to MMRC deal. US is putting all kinds of pressure and tactics.

A country like US which can bend International laws and put the deal into India's pocket , can certainly has the guts to take this tender too.

 

[luckyyy]

Oh, you mean: "Apply, apply; no reply".

but i still feel MMRCA could be won by F-16 , purly on capabilities as well as life-cycle-cost....infect there is a direct saving of 180 million dollor of fuel cost over a life cycle of 8000 hours of flying a single engine F-16 compare to any other twine engine..

 

[BoseDK]

^^^
Sir, You are living in fools paradise. F-solah is not at all possible.

 

[madooxno9]

If this>>>>> aircraft wins

i will understand that all tenders are fake... only LOBBY works..

 

[luckyyy]

^^^
Sir, You are living in fools paradise. F-solah is not at all possible.

^^^

that's bases on logic...why don't somebody want to save 18.0 million dollor on a fighter over his life cycle cost..

[ calculation based on aviation fuel price of 54000rs/kl and a average saving of 2500 lt of fuel per refill.......addtionally a single engine will save on 7 engine overhuals and 2 time engine replacment over lifecycle of 8000 hours )

 

[angeldemon_007]

but i still feel MMRCA could be won by F-16 , purly on capabilities as well as life-cycle-cost....infect there is a direct saving of 180 million dollor of fuel cost over a life cycle of 8000 hours of flying a single engine F-16 compare to any other twine engine..

You are right, but IAF might even say that you can fly F16 yourself. You cannot force armed forces more than a particular limit, they will simply refuse.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

but i still feel MMRCA could be won by F-16 , purly on capabilities as well as life-cycle-cost....infect there is a direct saving of 180 million dollor of fuel cost over a life cycle of 8000 hours of flying a single engine F-16 compare to any other twine engine..

Willing to place a bet on it? IF there is a chance for the US, then it may be the F-18.