N-deal moving, sharp rise in defence ties

With the Senate passing the Indo-US nuclear deal, New Delhi and Washington have stepped up Defence cooperation by placing the anti-missile defence back on the agenda and clearing the decks for a multi-level

With the Senate passing the Indo-US nuclear deal, New Delhi and Washington have stepped up Defence cooperation by placing the anti-missile defence back on the agenda and clearing the decks for a multi-level, multi-command tri-services military exercises between the two countries.

Indicating the stepped-up engagement, the purchase of a squadron of stretch C-130 J tactical airlift aircraft is now on Defence Minister A K Antony8217;s table, awaiting his signature. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the C-130 J is a favourite of special forces in the West and is used for injecting troops with equipment in a hostile environment. The aircraft was tested by the IAF at forward locations and was made to land on dirt strips in 8220;blind conditions8221;.

Orders have also been placed for six Sea King helicopters. There is also forward movement on multi-role combat aircraft with the request for proposal RFP being finalized this month, the main contenders being the F-16 Falcon and the F-18 Hornet. US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen T Michael Moseley is visiting India next month.

Rapid expansion in defence ties was evident during the visit of US Under Secretary Defence Policy Eric Edelman to Delhi for a meeting with Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt between November 15 and 16. Edelman8217;s visit was preceded by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kohler, who heads the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The key movement is in the military-to-military exercises with both sides now agreeing to participate in complex manoeuvres that involve all the three services and can have a mix of commands. A classic example is the Indo-US Shatrujit commando exercises in Belgaum last month that was married with the Indo-US Malabar naval exercises. Canada also participated in the bilateral naval exercise.

Future Indo-US exercises are planned for high altitude environment and will take place in Uttaranchal and Alaska and will have combatants from various commands and services. Not only India will now have liaison with US Pacific Command but also with the Central Command, engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the strategic command at a later stage.

During the meeting with Edelman, the two sides brought back the anti-missile defence cooperation on the front burner with US reiterating its offer of the Patriot anti-missile system. That India was keen to re-engage on missile defence may have to with the fact that its indigenous missile defence programme is still in a nascent stage.

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The meeting also noted the nuclear environment in the region and assessed the military posture of India8217;s neighbours. Although the Left is against Indo-US defence engagement, the fact remains that New Delhi, since March this year, has hosted all top US military officials, among them Marine Commandant General Mike Hagee, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Peter Pace, Army Chief Gen Peter Schoonmaker, Pacfic Command Chief Admiral William Fallon visited twice and Seventh Fleet Commander Gen Roughead.