Bloomberg July 17, 2002
U.S. Plans Sale of Military Equipment to India, Advancing Ties
Washington, July 17 (Bloomberg) -- The Bush administration
told Congress it wants the U.S. to sell India military equipment
including parts for warplanes, helicopters and radar systems, in
the clearest sign of warming relations between the two nations.
In addition to the sales, which would benefit such companies
as Northrop Grumman Corp., United Technologies Corp. and Thales
SA, the administration wants permission to provide India with
technical data on other military items to encourage future sales.
``U.S.-Indian relations are strengthening across the
board,'' said Karl Inderfurth, an assistant secretary of state
for South Asian affairs in the Clinton administration who now
teaches international affairs at George Washington University.
The request was delivered less than a month after the U.S.
helped intervene between India and Pakistan to calm tensions over
Kashmir that threatened both a war between the nuclear-armed
rivals and to undercut the U.S.-led war on terrorism.
``I guess it's payback time,'' John Pike, a defense analyst
with Globalsecurity.org, a private research group, said of the
timing of the administration's announcement.
The U.S. desire to expand military cooperation with India,
whose military was largely supplied by the Soviet Union during
the Cold War, has become pronounced since the Sept. 11 attacks.
``Relations are improving,'' said Sunil Lal, a spokesman for
the Indian embassy in Washington. ``And defense is a field where
we have seen the two sides getting closer.''
Pistols for Pakistan
The only item on today's list for Pakistan is a sale of
three ``Glock 26'' model 9mm pistols.
The proposed sales include magnetrons used in the ground-
based Flycatcher radar system made by Thales, drive-shaft
assemblies for India's Advanced Light Helicopter, and cathode ray
tubes used in helmet-mounted data display units, among other
items.
The administration also proposed selling India parts to be
used in items that include the Jaguar aircraft, India's Light
Combat aircraft program, and its Sikorsky S-61 Sea King
helicopters made by United Technologies.
The request to Congress also seeks permission to allow
Indian nationals to participate in various military activities
related to the purchases such as an aircraft engine project
engineer.
Some of the items, such as the Tethered Aerostat
Surveillance System, would help India monitor its border with
Pakistan, Pike said.
Congress may reject the requests, though lawmakers aren't
likely to object to any of the sales, some of which have been
discussed since the Clinton presidency, Inderfurth said.
The Bush administration appears to be seeking to avoid
alarming Pakistan with such sales, he said.
``Both countries are getting something out of these new
stronger relations,'' he said. ``I think that the administration
is going to be sensitive to concerns about weapons sales that
could destabilize the situation on the subcontinent.''
--Paul Basken in Washington (202) 624-1827 or
pbasken@bloomberg.net. Editor: McQuillan.
Copyright 2002 Bloomberg
