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India Defence Online, New Delhi – The recent visit by the US President to India has paved the way for greater defence cooperation and is expected to boost military ties to a high level. With greater freedom in technology exchange and defence import/export and relaxation on controls, it is likely that Indo-US co-development of high tech weaponry will reach the maximum possible level.
Due to US sanctions and other US government restrictions, the Indian Defence Ministry and its Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has never joined hands with the US defence industry to produce critical weaponry or big-ticket projects.
On the other hand, India is doing joint development contracts like the $12 billion Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project with Russia which will be signed next month and there is the $2-billion partnership between the DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to co-develop an anti-aircraft missile. The US has not come close to any projects of such magnitude because of government policies and sanctions.
Despite the Indo-US Defence Policy group in place, it is the US legal limitations and its framework of governmental policies that stifle the co-development of critical projects in defence. DRDO Chief Dr. V.K. Saraswat has indicated that many areas have been earmarked for Indo-US collaboration but the US legal framework requires permissions and legal issues pertaining to dual-use technology creates the stumbles. Added to this is the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The US technology regimes have permitted cooperation in fundamental research but not in developing specific technologies or military systems.
However, the DRDO feels that the current US Presidential visit to India and its promise of relaxing controls on technology can lead to the Indian defence Ministry along with the DRDO co-developing defence projects with the global leader of high-tech defence, the US defence industry. The DRDO feels that there will be major joint collaboration between the US and DRDO and this may happen in the field of aeronautics or critical radar among others.
India is renowned for its excellent base in Information and technology, especially computer simulation, virtual reality, and robotics while software has become mandatory for any military platform. The US will soon perceive that India’s capabilities and strengths can be harnessed by complimenting them with American technologies and by building the best military systems in the world with the cheapest price-tags. The DRDO has shown its virtuosity in fields like missiles, aerospace, electronic warfare systems and command networks. The DRDO feels that by 2020, the Indian and US defence industry will be working together on mega defence projects and greater interaction between the two defence giants is inevitable as long as US technology regimes don’t come in the way.
Indian defence news and strategic intelligence
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