U.S.-India defense cooperation is growing–particularly defense trade, which is nearing $9 billion–and is an important aspect of bilateral collaboration as the United States focuses on the Asia Pacific region, State Department officials said.
Secretary of State John Kerry met his counterparts during a recent trip and is working to add strategic depth to the partnership.
“India is a key part of the U.S. rebalance in Asia,” Kerry said June 23 in New Delhi, according to a DoS statement. “And we are committed to that rebalance. I want to emphasize this point. Our security interests with India converge on a wide range of maritime and broader regional issues, and we value India’s role in our mutual efforts to ensure a stable and prosperous Asia.”
Kerry was accompanied at the Strategic Dialogue by Adm. Samuel Locklear of the U.S. Pacific Command, among others.
Defense trade expansion can be seen for example, in December, when India picked the Boeing [BA] Chinook CH-47F heavy-lift helicopter over the Russian Mi-26. Contract negotiations will determine the cost of the future contract.
Additionally, New Delhi chose the Boeing AH-64D Apache over the Russian M1-28 for its potential $600 million attack helicopter program.
Contract negotiations are continuing on both programs, a Boeing spokesman told Defense Daily.
Defense trade also is boosted by the induction of the Lockheed Martin [LMT] C-130J and Boeing’s C-17 aircraft into the Indian Air Force and of the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, also produced by Boeing, into the Indian Navy.
The first P-8I arrived in India in May, followed by the first C-17 in June.
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| C-17s In Formation Photo: Boeing |
Kerry noted, “India will soon have more C-17 aircraft than any country besides the United States of America.”
Meanwhile, the Bell Helicopter [TXT]-Boeing V-22 tiltrotor is one platform that could find a place in India.
“Back in 2012, Bell Boeing answered questions for Indian officials plane-side at our Dubai Air Show MV-22 static display,” the spokesman said. “Over the years, Bell Boeing representatives have delivered a number of public presentations in India in conjunction with industry trade shows.”
Both sides concur on the need to go beyond buyer-seller relations and on the opportunities for wider defense trade and industry collaboration in areas of mutual interest. Both sides are engaging in a number of ways and through diverse forms of dialogue and exchanges to progress defense cooperation.
Kerry said the United States enjoys a successful relationship with India and “as we continue to develop this relationship, we look forward to opportunities for co-production and co-development of defense systems.”
The defense relationship also includes military-to-military dialogues, exercises, defense sales, professional military education exchanges, and practical cooperation. Both sides plan to continue pursuit of defense cooperation to mutual benefit.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno earlier this week said he plans a visit next month to India to meet with his counterpart.
At the June 24 U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, both nations reiterated that the defense establishments of both countries should remain engaged through the process of dialogues, regular staff talks, reciprocal high level visits, and other exchanges. For example, the two nations are cooperating to facilitate missions to recover the remains of U.S. service members from World War II.