US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading

US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading. Policy going to sea on a carrier witnessing a missile launch and reviewing the troops.

The appointment of Parrikar may indicate that he is interested in reform, not just rhetoric.

The mood of “getting real” regarding defence policy may be spreading. There are now many defence correspondents, as well as a lively think-tank community.

In addition, the parliamentary committee on defence has detailed the shortcomings of the military acquisition process.

It pointed to substantial gaps between the defence ministry’s promises and its woeful performance.

US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading.

US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading.

New Moment In India-US Defense

To informed opinion this comes as no surprise, but it was a rare critique of the woeful Defence Research.

And Development Organisation (DRDO), more notable for self-promotion than production of weapons.

US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading.

As if in response, Parrikar fired the DRDO’s chief. Third, India now sees its defence relationship with the US as providing the technology that it lacks.

And that other countries cannot provide. India is routinely described as the world’s largest arms market.

This is true, but there is an irony: massive purchases are primarily a function of the nation’s inability to produce quality.

The weapons on its own, as well as the absence of a system to establish defense priorities.

The following steps leading up to and beyond the second Obama-Modi summit can strengthen US-India defense ties, as well as the quality of defence policymaking in each state.

New Moment In India-US Defence

First, Secretary-Designate Carter should, in his confirmation testimony, indicate that he would be eager to support joint India-US studies.

That would bring together parliamentary committees to examine concerns common to the two countries.

Senator John McCain might just agree to this on the spot. Second, Carter can also announce support for the exchange of defense officials.

And bureaucrats, including military personnel and defense scientists, and defense contracts between private Indian and American firms.

While not a formal ally, this one area where India can be treated as such.

Third, when thinking about expanding US-Indian defence trade, policymakers should consider the foreign subsidiaries of US defence firms.

In some cases, the Japanese or European branch of an American company, with its own ties to local suppliers.

US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading.

And governments, may better placed to expand defence trade with India than via the America-based headquarters.

Fourth, both India and the US should look for new defence manufacturing projects that have not publicly discussed.

US India defense ties establish priorities policy may be spreading.

Here are several of varying complexity and technological sophistication: One, both the American and Indian armies need new rifles.

The technology is available to produce a reliable, modular and advanced system that would more range.

And firepower than present systems but would also be simpler.

Two, another medium technology project would be to sell to India the production line of the A-10 Warthog close-support aircraft.

Assuming the US makes good on the Pentagon’s preference to eliminate the A-10 from its inventory.

India lacks a modern close-support aircraft, so this could be a win-win proposition.

Improving this platform — a big-ticket item compared to the co-development of the Javelin anti-tank missile.

Would be a good test of how the US and India can work together.