US Keen
To Sell Its Armaments To India Via Freshly Minted 10 Year Defence Framework
Agreement
Is the tide
turning with the GOP itself voting against President Trump’s tariff policy? The
Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and President Trump himself are both
suggesting that a framework trade agreement may be agreed upon between India
and the US very soon. It would also probably reduce the punitive tariffs to no
more than 15% overall. But, with the mercurial Trump administration one never
knows till the signing and the drying of the ink.
While the 50
percent trade tariffs on India persist in the meantime, one of the highest in
the world, peppered with constant and diplomatically offensive pressure, a
freshly minted agreement on defence cooperation offers unexpected hope. Is this
a first step to the classic Trump roll-back or just the sniff of a parcel of
deals?
The
framework agreement signed at the Defence Ministers Meeting in Kuala Lumpur,
the ADMM-Plus, by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary for
War Pete Hegseth was accompanied by many feel-good statements on the importance
of the US-India defence relationship, the rule based order, international maritime
security, the Asia-Pacific and so on. But this was at the level of the defence
ministers and offers a platform for a U turn. Because the Indo-Pacific strategy to contain
China is no longer a Trump administration priority. Neither is QUAD from all
indications.
It does
cover real-time intelligence sharing but let us remember America refused GPS
coordinates during the Kargil War. The formation of a joint task force for the
Indo-Pacific, joint naval patrolling, technology transfer, joint manufacturing
of advanced military systems in India are all in the document.
It says
America will manufacture drones and the F414 fighter engines in India with
partial if not full technology transfer. Stryker armoured vehicles will begin
to be produced in India in 2026. This one has been in the air for years and
meanwhile India has made a number of good armoured vehicles of its own. The
plan is to manufacture the 31 Predator drones on order in India by 2027.
America will work with India on Hypersonic missile technology by 2027. It will
start developing KN engines in India, and by 2035 America will transfer complete 5th generation fighter
technology. Can all this be believed?
Why did America decide to draw up such an agreement for the first time ever? Is
India meant to cross over into the US camp in delight?
As far as
India’s defence cooperation with the US towards its aatmanirbhar programme and
technology transfer needs go, the possibilities have always been vague and
undefined. This, particularly in contrast with its progress made with France,
Israel, and Russia.
However,
America is not enamoured with India’s policies of strategic autonomy in order
to suit its own national needs. It prefers docile allies who do as they are
told. So this is a persistent hindrance to the Indo-US relationship unlike its
progress with an apparently compliant Pakistan. Now the Americans are saying
Pakistan is only useful for short term goals. But how can one defence agreement
turn a persistent more or less anti-India policy on its ear? Americans have
been good at saying one thing and doing another rather like the Chinese.
Written agreements mean little to both.
America is
also busy finding ways to cooperate with China, as the Trmp-Xi meeting in South
Korea demonstrates, after its attempts to bully it into submission failed.
With India,
the same thing applies in the minor register, we too won’t be bullied, but India
does not enjoy the points of leverage thar China does. So America tends to
renege on commitments with impunity, and drag its feet generally. It does not
want to lose India altogether from its sphere of influence and so keeps
agreements like this one going. If it means business it could start with
delivering the F404 engines quickly for a start.
Purchases of
American defence equipment by India, often necessary for their technology and
quality, have to bear with interminable delays and sometimes renegotiations of
cost. The American system has many barriers and checks that take time for high
technology equipment, not helped by America not being in a hurry to execute
them on time lines agreed. America does
not part with its codes for defence equipment and has been known to use them to
cripple aircraft and other weapons at critical times.
Nevertheless,
we do have several new defence deals on the anvil and ongoing, in addition to
the $25 billion in American military equipment purchases made by India since
2007. Right now there is a $ 3.8 billionMQ9B
armed Predator drone on order for 31 of them, being executed for completion by
2029-30. They say these will now be made in India. The last three of six Apache
helicopter gunships are being flown over in a transport aircraft for the Indian
Army after a long delay. The order for 99 GE F404-IN20 engines for the Tejas
MK1 A executed in 2021 for $716 million is proceeding very slowly after a two-year
stoppage in supply. Only four engines of
the 99 ordered have been delivered so far. Another follow-on order for 113
engines worth $ 1 billion is being negotiated and almost ready to be signed. Yet another order for hundreds of the GE F414 engine intended for the Tejas MK2
along with an 80% technology transfer and manufacture in India is also being
negotiated. Is this defence agreement saying it is through? At what price? To
be built in India starting when?
This snail’s
pace in these orders and negotiations suggest a strategic dimension in which
America is apparently not keen on seeing India make its own fighter aircraft
any time soon. But perhaps it also wants to lure us away from the competition.
India is
working on alternatives of its own manufacture for UAVs,drones and fighters and in
collaboration of Safran of France even as its fit-for-battle fighter squadrons
are much below comfort levels.
India is
also advancing a cooperation with Brazil for its Embraer C-390 Millenium
transport aircraft in a possible barter deal for an equivalent value of Tejas
fighter aircraft and Prachand helicopters.
A
collaboration with Airbus is already ongoing for H125 helicopters and C295 military transport aircraft in partnership
with the private sector Tata Group.
Russia is
very eager to offer its latest Su- 57E stealth fighter aircraft with full
technology transfer and production in India in addition to the Sukhoi 30s made
under licence in India with the Su-30MK1 largely customised to Indian needs.
Very
recently India has signed an agreement with Russia to jointly produce medium
sized commercial aircraft, the SJ-100 with full technology transfer in India. The
message to America is that India is clearly not restricted by American
sanctions imposed on Russia. This again in the context of massive delays in
supplying Boeing aircraft to the Indian aviation industry as well as quality
concerns highlighted by the tragic Dreamliner crash in Gujarat.
India is
already very successful with its BRAHMOS missiles jointly developed with Russia.
It extensively uses the Russian S 400 air-shield with more sets on order. Other
cooperation with the UK, Russia, Germany and France in the naval engines,
propulsion units, nuclear engines, submarines and specialised naval ships are a
precursor to more in commercial shipbuilding as a new thrust area. While American Cummins engines are used in our
light Zorowar tanks, India is trying to develop its own as well.
So, it is
clear that America is not our only mainstay, even as the Indian aatmanirbhar
defence industry is growing very fast and is reflected in more and more export
orders as well.
Perhaps
America realises these are favourable results of India’s strategic autonomy and
wants to ensure it stays in India’s procurement and technology demand game.
In the
overall scheme of things however, and on the face of it, this 10 year defence
framework agreement is most welcome.
(1312
words)
November
1st, 2025
For:
Firstpost/News18.com
Gautam
Mukherjee
