NEW DELHI: India and the US on Monday set the stage for clinching the mega project to co-produce fighter jet engines during PM Narendra Modis visit to Washington later this month, while also deciding to further strengthen operational military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific with an eye firmly on the bullying and coercion by China.The delegation-level meeting between defence minister Rajnath Singh and US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin here concluded a new ambitious defence-industrial cooperation roadmap to fast-track technology collaboration and co-production of existing as well as futuristic weapon systems and platforms.
The areas range from air combat, infantry combat vehicles and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) systems to long-range artillery, smart munitions and underwater domain awareness.03:05Defence Minister Rajnath Singh holds a bilateral meeting US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin IIIThe immediate takeaway will be the inking of the major pact between US company General Electric (GE) and defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics to jointly produce GE-F414 turbofan engines in the 98 Kilonewton thrust class in India.There will be virtually 100% ToT (transfer of technology) for the GE-F414 engines, which will power the indigenous Tejas Mark-2 fighters (existing Tejas Mark-1 jets have less powerful GE-F404 engines procured without any ToT).
Other projects like the co-production of Stryker armoured fighting vehicles, long-range artillery and ISR systems are in the discussion stage, a source told TOI.The roadmap is also likely to facilitate the ToT and setting up of MRO facilities that India is pushing for under the long-pending deal for acquisition of armed Predator or MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones.During the delegation-level meeting, sources said India briefed the US on the aggressive intent shown by China along the 3,488-km line of actual control amid the continuing military confrontation in eastern Ladakh.India also underlined the fact that China and Pakistan act in collusion and should be seen as a single entity.
Islamabad should not be trusted with western defence equipment, a source said.On the bilateral front, India and the US committed to collaborating even more closely in support of their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
They also agreed to strengthen operational collaboration across all military services, with the aim to support Indias leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific.Austin said the deepening India-US partnership shows how growing military cooperation between the two great powers can be a force for global good.Stressing that the US was not trying to establish a Nato-like structure in the Indo-Pacific, Austin said, We continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure the region remains free and open so that commerce can prosper and ideas can continue to be exchanged.The new defence-industrial cooperation roadmap aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between the two countries..., the US statement said.