You can call me whatever from an idiot to may be a war monger or a eternal hater..But all this seems to be a plan with multifold ramifications. Let me explain few of the points
1. USA is now officially putting a contingency plan to undercut and undermine the N arsenal of Pakistan. Several of the folks have stated that US does have a contingency plan to take out Pakistan's N weapon storage and production center. This secret project is now officially put in place with a modified agreement and naming it with a cover like LSA.
2. The sharing of technology will anyway happen as USA is very clear to prop up India and Japan as chief measures to take on China. USA does fear China not in military terms as of now but perhaps in another 2 decades if China could maintain its awesome economic growth. The bigger paranoia comes from the fact that China is heavily invested in USD and many US conglomerates are dependent too much on China. This is why there seems to be an effort to shift industries out of China and more into India and play out a policy where the Chinese investments in USD over time does not make them have a capability to take hard stance against USA on economic front.
3. These agreements seems to be the precusor to few more things.
Quote:
Sources told ET that senior representatives from the submarine branch of a leading US conglomerate have met key Indian defence ministry officials regarding the project. The efforts included a top level meeting in July. The discussions have been kept low key given the sensitivity of the project and details are not available.
- A second line of MMRCA aircraft beyond Rafale. The actual discussion as per my own source is a surprise and shocker for me. The discussion is on F35 numbering 100+ first for IAF and a carrier version for the N-ACC which would be another 50. A special privilege would be direct entry to the F35 consortium, the sharing of tech from Israel (they are the deal backers and first point of discussion with India on this) and a regional MRO for F35s based out of Asian and African region leaving just Japan& Australian MRO work perhaps directly in USA. The PM meeting LM chief was basically a meeting to showcase LM's desire to "assemble" F35s in India.
- In return the famed GE 414 uprated version, its TOT partially, consulting role in Kaveri K10+ and help in AMCA and LCA projects
Another shocker: When DM MP came to know about the same, within few days few more things evolved in Dassault Rafale deal . Chiefly, the Rafale F3R program (a new customised engine uprated with avionics and software version) production plan in Indian MII, the new version initially called F4 may be known as F3R2 with advanced radars and major new upgrades under MLU all of these were preponed in a manner which seems to suggest a far more lucrative Rafale production , planned upgrades etc under MII. On top its clear that F3R or later F3R2 can be back compatible to F3 OT4 (the 36 flyaway which we are buying). All this by 2021-25 timeframe.
- The last but not the least one - USA did offer a more integrated role in Indian BMD development with these above deals. This is where the rumored THAAD/Patriot approach was made (Something which was picked up by PSK but he did not know why it was really offered).
Its imperatively clear that Indian BMD at present is with S300s bought in 90s and S400 purchase scheduled to be deployed fully by 2017-18. The Indian ambition of 4 satellite military surveillance and BMD layer at space is well known to both Russia and USA. USA seems to be of the opinion that they can integrate the Indian Satellite system with their own dedicated satellite system to provide a much more detailed control over India's airspace. Something which MOD is not comfortable as of now as it wants an independent system. Who knows if a compromise is worked out on this too.
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India needs to tread very carefully here. Its true that its an opportunity but then historically USA folks have never been friends to anyone except the lucrative source of money making markets. These new opportunities needs India to balance out Russia India relations and India USA relations. USA is also very keen to transform India Israel relationship to India Israel USA troika front. Of course Israel and India shares a different relationship but then this troika formation if and when done can be a potentially explosive development.
Downside is the increased risk of India China relationship and a friend Russia who may not trust India like before.
@Abingdonboy : You are going to get multiple headaches. DM MP visit to ACC and a base was not a demo for N ACC. It was a much deeper ploy to showcase what potential transformations USA India relationships can have. In Ashton Carter, US government has got a man who keeps his words and may make the relationship level deeper then before. But its going to be a costly affair, a possible second marriage and a bigger shocking divorce with proportionate payouts. (I hope you get what i am meaning of whom we may lost while gaining whom)