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Indo-U.S strategic defence ties are expected to grow stronger as both countries are chalking out a programme for military engagement in 2010 as well issues relating to the framework of defence policies.
The Defence Policy Group (DPG), headed by the Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, was formed in 2005 as a part of a ten year defence programme between India and the U.S. The two-day annual Defence Policy Group (DPG) meeting, co- chaired by Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and US Deputy Secretary of defence William J Lynn, concluded last week in New Delhi.
The defence planners of both sides have now indicated that the scale of military exercises is only going to get bigger in the future. Only this year, India and the U.S carried out two big exercises separately involving the Air Force and Army. The U.S Air Force brought its big transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force Air Base in Agra and the U.S Army troops took part in an armoured exercise with the Indian Army personnel in the north Indian town of Babina. It was the biggest deployment of U.S armoured vehicles Strykers outside Iraq and Afghanistan.
India and the U.S. also held high level discussions on the possibility of signing two military agreements that would pave the way for increased defence trade and greater joint interaction at the military level. Although the U.S is keen on the two agreements — Logistics Sharing Agreement (LSA) and the Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) — to be inked as soon as possible, India is yet to give any assurance to the U.S and remained elusive.
U.S officials have repeatedly conveyed to their Indian counterparts about the need to ink the CISMOA as it would give an impetus to defence sales. They also pointed out that the LSA would enable them undertake more joint exercises. U.S Deputy Secretary of Defence William J Lynn pointed out that discussions have been going on for years and there has been pretty full exchange on their elements and benefits but action remained to be taken by the Indian Government in bringing them on to the signing table.
The LSA is modelled on the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreements the U.S has inked with a host of nations. LSA envisages Indian and American militaries providing logistic support, refuelling and berthing facilities for each other’s warships and aircraft on a barter or an equal-value exchange basis.
With CISMOA, the U.S intends to enhance the `interoperability’ of the Indian and American forces, as also ensure secrecy of its C4ISR (command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) systems. This may be useful for India since it is acquiring U.S military hardware like the P-8i long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and C-130J `Super Hercules’ planes.
The steps initiated under the bilateral 10-year defence framework were also discussed in the meeting. The aim of the programme is to expand the ties to other military arenas as well as cooperation in operations pertaining to counter-terrorism, maritime security, defence trade joint combat exercises besides other areas.
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