Carter visits Delhi sets tone for renewed partnership
The visiting US defense Secretary Ashton Carter who toured India for two days
met Indian delegates and defense officials in Delhi. Carter called on PM Narendra Modi, Raksha
Mantri Manohar Parrikar, NSA Ajit Doval and EAM Sushma Swaraj and paved way for
a more robust relationship between the countries. During the meet Parrikar and
Carter discussed way to strength the strategic partnership the countries share.
Carter and Parrikar signed the new framework for the bilateral defense and
strategic partnership. The framework will be set the tone for the partnership
for the next ten years, co-development and co-manufacturing figured mainly in
the discussion. Carter also took forward the decision which the countries had
made during US President Obama’s last visit to India. The deals will now be
worked under the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) frame work.
India and US also signed
agreements for two ground breaking projects under which Mobile Electric Hybrid
Power Sources and Protective Ensembles for the troops will be jointly
developed. The nations also agreed to renew the help in development jet engines
and Aircraft carrier technologies. Several key project details which could help
encourage America to participate in ‘Make in India’ campaign were also
discussed. America has been one of the strongest supporters for ‘Make in India’
campaign which promises to revolutionize the lacking defense industry. America
is also India’s leading defense import partner and has been providing India
with state-of-the art technologies over the years. The C-130J Hercules, C-17
Globemasters and the P-8I are some of the finest examples.
Before arriving to Delhi,
Carter landed in INS Dega, Vishakhapatnam. Carter was briefed about the Eastern
Naval Command (ENC) operations. Carter’s visit to the Eastern sea board gains
significance with America and India teaming up to challenge the aggressive
Chinese in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. America has promised to provide India
with advanced naval technologies to boost India’s operation under its ‘Act
East’ policy. Carter was given a tour of INS Sahyadri, which is one of the most
stealth enabled frigate operating under the Indian navy. Indian Officials
discussed many things include major deals like EMALS and Joint engine
production Technology, First day Carter Lands in the Naval base Vizag and met
Eastern Naval Command Officials, and Mad a Tour inside INS Shaydri a Naval
Frigate, Next day he went New Delhi and met Indian Defense Minister, Foreign
Minister and National security Advisor, after a broad meeting with Indian
Defense officials about Possible Developments future Indo-American
relationship.
The battlefield operations
and capabilities have received a major boost with India and US signing
co-development of Mobile Electric Hybrid Power Sources. These hybrid mobile
generators are used to power to the battlefield equipments. Indian armed forces
were till date using BEL supplied power sources which on worked on conventional
fuels. India and US will also develop a next generation protective ensembles
which will be crucial in guarding soldiers from biological and chemical
attacks. With this the front line soldiers can operate even in potential
radioactive scenarios.
The signed DTTI agreement
promises to help improve the already ecstatic relationship further more with
its flexible export rules. The DTTI will be the basic framework for US-India to
share a platform for the co-developing technologies. DTTI is poised to be a
major contributor to India’s ambitious ‘Make in India’ campaign. DTTI also promises
to help India evolve as a leading ‘exporter’ by mastering technologies. Carter
was instrumental in materializing DTTI, during his tenure as the Deputy
Secretary of Defence Carter had sighted India’s growing and rapidly modernizing
Indian defence market. The cumbersome process of ToT under which India has
signed several deals will now be made easier under DTTI. More G-G deal can be
seen, with India-America countering a common threat in the Asia-Pacific region
a stronger relationship is guaranteed.
Carter took forward the
key pathfinder projects India-America had agreed to work upon jointly paving
way for more advanced and robust technologies.
USA had agreed to help
India develop hot engines which are apt for operations in the subcontinent
conditions. India had earlier constituted the Kaveri engine project which was
slated to power the LAC. But the project was curtailed after finding the
program economically unviable for the LCA project. The ground was conceived for
powering the more powerful AMCA project. USA has now come forward to assist
India in developing a hot engine based on the GE supplied engines. USA will now
assist India in developing the GE F404 turbo fan jet engines in India which are
currently powering the LCA project. US will also help India produce more
powerful jet engines that can power the Tejas MK2 and can also serve as a benchmark
for the under development AMCA project. US will sell India a few engines off
the shelves and the rest will be manufactured in India.
India boosts one of the
biggest navies which is in the transition from a regional navy to a blue water
navy. With America supporting India in materializing its ‘Act East’ policy, a
key part of it would be to help India modernize its navy. America also has
realized that the only regional power to check China in its track would be
India and India alone. Displaying its trust in India, America has offered the
most advanced Electro Magnetic Aircraft Launch Technology (EMALS) to India.
EMALS is being currently inducted on the new USS Gerald R Ford class carriers.
Indian navy operates STOBAR configuration carriers with which the launch
capability is greatly compromised. EMALS will help in launching heavier
aircraft with and will be the first flat top carrier of the Indian navy. EMALS
is an extremely costly initial investment technology but will be extremely cost
effective for operations. Compared to the traditional steam powered catapults
the EMALS can launch heavier aircraft more swiftly and with minimal stress on
the air frame. India is in the final stages of finalizing designs for IAC-II
and will now officially approach USA for the EMALS technology if it chooses for
a flat top carrier. Carter also announced that a US team charged with Carrier
design would be visiting Delhi in the near future to conduct conclusive talks
about the deal.
Editor – Karthik Kakoor
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