United States and India to co-develop and co-produce state-of-the-art weapon systems 0908143

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Defence & Security News - United States /India

 
 
Saturday, August 9, 2014 02:08 PM
 
United States and India to co-develop and co-produce state-of-the-art weapon systems.
India and United States on Friday, August 8, 2014, announced that they have decided to appoint high-ranking point-persons to "co-develop and co-produce" state-of-the-art weapon systems for strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
     
India and the US on Friday, August 8, 2014, announced that they have decided to appoint high-ranking point-persons to "co-develop and co-produce" state-of-the-art weapon systems for strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
Wide range of Indian military products on display at DefExpo 2014, defense exhibition in New Delhi, India.
     

The decision to revive the floundering Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) between the two countries, as also work towards the extension of the 10-year India-US defence framework, was taken after visiting US defence secretary Chuck Hagel held delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart Arun Jaitley.

Jaitley, said, "The development of our own indigenous capabilities is a major objective that guides our present policies. In this direction, we have taken steps to raise the FDI cap (from 26% to 49%) in the defence sector. We look forward to work closely with the US in this regard," said Jaitley.

India has decided to assign this task to secretary, department of defence production, while the US will be represented by the under secretary for acquisition, technology and licensing at the Pentagon, a defence ministry spokesperson said.

The decision could put the momentum back into some stalled defence deals such as the ones relating to the sale of Javelin anti-tank guided missile systems and M777 ultra-light howitzers to India by the US.

Defence minister Arun Jaitley told Hagel that indigenisation of the defence sector was a priority for the government. He said, "The development of our own indigenous capabilities is a major objective that guides our present policies. We have taken steps to raise the FDI cap in the defence sector. We look forward to work closely with the US in this regard."