Govt set to ink record $2.2bn arms deal with US

[tingumaster]

NEW DELHI: The stage is being set for what will be the largest-ever Indo-US defence deal till now. New Delhi has now formally approached

Washington for a direct government-to-government deal for acquiring 10 C-17 Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft, each of which comes for over a whopping $220 million.

This would well supplant the $2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft inked last year and the $962 million one for six C-130J `Super Hercules' planes clinched in 2007.

With US aggressively muscling into the lucrative Indian market, often bagging deals under its direct Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme instead of vying in global tenders, the Europeans are getting increasingly upset.

Some of them even see "American influence'' at work behind the Indian defence ministry's scrapping of the almost-finalised deals like the $1 billion contract for 197 Eurocopter light utility helicopters and $1.5 billion project for six Airbus-330 MRTT mid-air refuelling aircraft.

Defence ministry officials, however, dismiss such `fanciful' claims. The biggest prize, of course, is still to be awarded: the $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft for IAF.

Two American fighters, F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Falcon', are competing with French Rafale, Russian MiG-35, Swedish Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon in this hotly-contested race.

As for the Globemaster project, India sent `a letter of request' for the acquisition of 10 C-17s to the US government last week after getting the nod from the Defence Acquisitions Council headed by defence minister A K Antony. "Under FMS, we will get C-17s at the same price the US government buys them from Boeing, plus some service charges,'' said an MoD official.

IAF certainly needs to augment its strategic airlift capability to swiftly move large combat systems and troops over large national and international distances, given that it has barely a dozen Russian-origin IL-76 `Gajraj' aircraft. IAF's medium-lift fleet, in turn, includes 104 Russian AN-32 aircraft.

The massive four-engine C-17 dwarfs them all. Capable of carrying a payload of up to 170,000 pounds, it can transport tanks and troops over 2,400 nautical miles.

With mid-air refuelling, the C-17 can go even longer distances. Rugged as it is, a C-17 can even land at a small forward airbase on a semi-prepared runway or airdrop over 100 combat-ready paratroopers directly into a battlezone. "It can take-off and land in 3,000 feet or less,'' said an official.

There are 212 C-17s in service around the globe at present, with the major chunk of them deployed with US Air Force. Other customers include UK, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Nato.

Incidentally, India and US have already finalised the End-Use Monitoring Agreement (EUMA), and the inking of the Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) is now on the cards, to smoothen defence deals. The two pacts are required under US domestic laws to ensure compliance with sensitive technology control requirements.
Govt set to ink record $2.2bn arms deal with US - India - The Times of India

 

[faithfulguy]

If India can ink this deal without TOT, why couldn't this also apply to other deal.

 

[TruthSeeker]

With US aggressively muscling into the lucrative Indian market, often bagging deals under its direct Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme instead of vying in global tenders, the Europeans are getting increasingly upset.

The massive four-engine C-17 dwarfs them all. Capable of carrying a payload of up to 170,000 pounds, it can transport tanks and troops over 2,400 nautical miles. With mid-air refuelling, the C-17 can go even longer distances. Rugged as it is, a C-17 can even land at a small forward airbase on a semi-prepared runway or airdrop over 100 combat-ready paratroopers directly into a battlezone. "It can take-off and land in 3,000 feet or less,'' said an official.

Why the pejorative phrase "muscling in"? The US offers combat environment tested hardware. Who else does? India certainly doesn't have to buy anything from the USA. Don't buy it! Certainly India doesn't have to fear a disadvantage that the USA will sell it to China. So don't buy it! Go with the low budget Russian stuff......

 

[faithfulguy]

Why the pejorative phrase "muscling in"? The US offers combat environment tested hardware. Who else does? India certainly doesn't have to buy anything from the USA. Don't buy it! Certainly India doesn't have to fear a disadvantage that the USA will sell it to China. So don't buy it! Go with the low budget Russian stuff......

I agree with you. Indians inherently just don't like America and Americans. We can clear see from the tone of the article that Indians media do not likely US at all. I guess dispise the fact that America military sell doesn't come with the TOT. Indians have not get the fact that in order to have the best, there is no TOT. As a result, many Indians rather buy inferior products with TOT. The problem is that Indian do jack squat with the technology anyway. A complete waste of money to buy TOT

 

[DeathGod]

1.I agree with you. Indians inherently just don't like America and Americans. We can clear see from the tone of the article that Indians media do not likely US at all.

2. I guess dispise the fact that America military sell doesn't come with the TOT. Indians have not get the fact that in order to have the best, there is no TOT. As a result, many Indians rather buy inferior products with TOT.

3.The problem is that Indian do jack squat with the technology anyway. A complete waste of money to buy TOT

1. Basing your conclusion on a media article is not the smartest thing to do( in my humble personal opinion). I would say that the your study or thesis is prone to SAMPLING ERROR as my thinking is that most Indians are pro-Americans and I have been living in India for the past 25 years.

2. In a business deal it is the right for every party to negotiate and to see for themselves where they think their best investment lies. I am preety sure that U.S wouldnt have offered us lets say a F-15 E or lets take an example that U.S offers us a F-15 E without TOT.
Now I dont know why a sane person will go for that when one can have a Su-30 MKI with full TOT. Also it is for us to decide what benefits do we get from TOT.

3. Prove it!! or if its your opinion then its fine. Everyone can have his/her own opinion.

 

[Spitfighter]

Why the pejorative phrase "muscling in"? The US offers combat environment tested hardware. Who else does? India certainly doesn't have to buy anything from the USA. Don't buy it! Certainly India doesn't have to fear a disadvantage that the USA will sell it to China. So don't buy it! Go with the low budget Russian stuff......

I think you're reading it out of context, the US is 'muscling out' India's primary military supplier (Russia) by offering, like you said, combat tested cutting edge hardware.

 

[faithfulguy]

1. Basing your conclusion on a media article is not the smartest thing to do( in my humble personal opinion). I would say that the your study or thesis is prone to SAMPLING ERROR as my thinking is that most Indians are pro-Americans and I have been living in India for the past 25 years.

2. In a business deal it is the right for every party to negotiate and to see for themselves where they think their best investment lies. I am preety sure that U.S wouldnt have offered us lets say a F-15 E or lets take an example that U.S offers us a F-15 E without TOT.
Now I dont know why a sane person will go for that when one can have a Su-30 MKI with full TOT. Also it is for us to decide what benefits do we get from TOT.

3. Prove it!! or if its your opinion then its fine. Everyone can have his/her own opinion.

3. Can you prove that India do something with its TOT. China without TOT can reverse engineer. India never develop anything out of TOT. A total waste of money

 

[DeathGod]

3. Can you prove that India do something with its TOT. China without TOT can reverse engineer. India never develop anything out of TOT. A total waste of money

Su-30 MKI developed by HAL now. Period.

 

[Spitfighter]

I agree with you. Indians inherently just don't like America and Americans. We can clear see from the tone of the article that Indians media do not likely US at all. I guess dispise the fact that America military sell doesn't come with the TOT. Indians have not get the fact that in order to have the best, there is no TOT. As a result, many Indians rather buy inferior products with TOT. The problem is that Indian do jack squat with the technology anyway. A complete waste of money to buy TOT

He was reading out of context, ever the opportunist you thought you could come in and bash India a little while you still had the chance.

You have a very 'simplistic' (idiotic) and biased opinion, you're incapable of contributing positively to the discourse here and as such I advise you to keep your ill informed nonsense to yourself and spend sometime reading so that you actually learn something, which is worth infinitely more than the 2 yuan you just made for that ridiculous post.

 

[Trisonics]

3. Can you prove that India do something with its TOT. China without TOT can reverse engineer. India never develop anything out of TOT. A total waste of money

Lets agree India is not doing anything with TOT but you CANNOT take away the fact that she still has superior weapons. Now deal with it!!!

You may be proud of it...good for you. Whats that got to do with what India can do or should do?, if anything, India now has very good weapons and ofcourse that does create some concerns ..yeah I agree what a waste of money

 

[faithfulguy]

Su-30 MKI developed by HAL now. Period.

WEll, it mean that India has the technology to build the plane as it is. Pretty much, Russia suppliers and Indians supplier provide the parts and let the plane assemble in India. But India does not develop upon the transfered technology because it lack the domestic ability to absorb the technology.

 

[faithfulguy]

He was reading out of context, ever the opportunist you thought you could come in and bash India a little while you still had the chance.

You have a very 'simplistic' (idiotic) and biased opinion, you're incapable of contributing positively to the discourse here and as such I advise you to keep your ill informed nonsense to yourself and spend sometime reading so that you actually learn something, which is worth infinitely more than the 2 yuan you just made for that ridiculous post.

I'm just saying what I see. Just because I believe India is wasting money (It could purchase superior US weaponry and save the TOT money for its poor) that doesn't mean that I'm biased. I just have a different view of how India should spend money.

Your attack on me instead of my message just show how truth bites. Please focus on the message and if you disagree, show some class instead of making senseless name calling.

 

[DeathGod]

WEll, it mean that India has the technology to build the plane as it is. Pretty much, Russia suppliers and Indians supplier provide the parts and let the plane assemble in India. But India does not develop upon the transfered technology because it lack the domestic ability to absorb the technology.

Care to elaborate? Are you saying the India doesnt have the ability to take the technology needed for development of a particular part ( lets say HUD ) and improve on it?

If that is so then I can confidently reject your claim by citing the fact that Indians have one of the largest and smarted contingent of engineers . A nation which can reach the moon must be having sufficient capability to improve a spare part of a 4th gen jet. Having said that I dont imply that we will have the work force enough to innovate in every sphere .

 

[xuxu1457]

WEll, it mean that India has the technology to build the plane as it is. Pretty much, Russia suppliers and Indians supplier provide the parts and let the plane assemble in India. But India does not develop upon the transfered technology because it lack the domestic ability to absorb the technology.

if India absorbs the tech,we will see some change:use the tech to improve the weapons which India holds now(MIG21,lca and so on),but we haven't see these now

 

[faithfulguy]

Lets agree India is not doing anything with TOT but you CANNOT take away the fact that she still has superior weapons. Now deal with it!!!

You may be proud of it...good for you. Whats that got to do with what India can do or should do?, if anything, India now has very good weapons and ofcourse that does create some concerns ..yeah I agree what a waste of money

India is getting junk from Russians. If I am the Indian leader, I would side with the US and get in line for F-35. Russians need money so they are willing to sell their top of line aircraft with TOT to India. If India choose to buy from Russians over the US aircraft, fine. But if its buying it because of TOT, then that is not a good decision as TOT still mean that India must acquire part of the compoenents from foregin sources. Unless, of course, India also get TOT for all the components, such as the western European radar. Than that may be a different story. Otherwise, a partial TOT is a waste of money.