NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 15: The US rejection of the United Kingdom's request for a waiver of the post-Pokharan sanctions to enable it to provide spares for crucial defence equipment to India means that spares for the Navy's Seaking helicopters will not be available. This will leave 60 per cent of the fleet capable of anti-submarine warfare grounded.British Secretary of State for Defence Geoffery Hoon, who was on a visit to India last week to push the Hawk advanced jet trainer deal, had told reporters on December 12 that the British government had taken up the matter with the US government and was hoping for a waiver.However, the next day on December 13, Union Minister of Defence George Fernandes told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that ``the matter (of spares of Seaking helicopters) had been taken up with the Government of UK who had informed that US government did not agree to relax sanctions for Seaking helicopters. Despite the matter being taken up by the UK government with the government of US, the position continues to remain the same.''After the Pokharan blasts, GKN WHL of UK had suspended all product support activities for Seaking helicopters. Since then UK has been neither supplying the spares, nor returning the critical components that were sent for repairs.The Indian Government is close to signing a one-billion-pound deal for the purchase of 66 Advanced Jet Trainers from UK. ``The waiver of sanctions was part of the pressure tactics before the Hawk deal is concluded. The UK government assured India that all efforts would be made with the US government for lifting of the sanctions. Unfortunately that has not happened as yet,'' sources said.``The problem Ministry of Defence faces is that the Air Force is keen on the Hawk AJT and the deal has to be signed before the end of the financial year. However, even the Hawk AJT has a number of US-made components. The Hawk deal may also suffer the same fate as the Seakings. Both the Indian and the UK governments are negotiating a way to sidestep the sanctions and conclude the deal,'' sources added.On Fernandes' reply in Rajya Sabha, a MoD official said that as on December 13, 2000, the US decision not to relax sanctions remains. ``But Hoon assured that the British government was lobbying hard despite the denial and was hopeful that sooner than later the Americans would come around. They (British) are hopeful that the matter would be taken up by the US Congress this time and a one-time relaxation be made for Seakings,'' he said.India and Britain are also considering removing the US-made parts from the AJT Hawk and replacing them with British parts. ``The process becomes more complicated and more expensive for India but if negotiations are successful then it will be done. The British have not created any problems with the Sea Harrier, the vertical lift aircraft which are in UK for repairs. They will be serviced, repaired and sent back to India,'' he added.
