India is in discussions with the United States of America for the purchase and co-production of combat vehicles. In addition the country is also working to finalise a deal for fighter jet engines with the latter, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to meet President Donald Trump this week, Reuters has reported.
Establishing Defence Relationship with the US
India is among the world’s largest arms importers, and it has traditionally relied heavily on Russia for its defence needs. However, last month, President Trump urged PM Modi, who is set to visit Washington on Wednesday for a two-day trip, to purchase more U.S.-made security equipment and move towards establishing “a fair trading relationship.”
India and the United States have been in conversation over the co-production of Stryker combat vehicles made by General Dynamics and also used by the U.S. Army.
They are also working to wrap up contract talks on co-production of fighter jet engines in India for the Indian Air Force, as per a deal agreed in 2023.
“We certainly wish to expedite the transaction which we would like to have with the United States,” Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar told reporters on Sunday, adding that such efforts were underway.
“Officials of India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) are set to meet in coming weeks with U.S. officials and the aerospace unit of General Electric, maker of GE-414 engines, for talks to finalise the deal by March,” the sources told Reuters.
Purchase and Production part of Plan
New Delhi has started talks with the Trump administration on a plan to buy Stryker vehicles after they were demonstrated late last year for the Indian Army, two other sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The plan envisages that India will acquire a few hundred Strykers with a mounted anti-tank guided missile system, they added, and later co-produce them through a state-run firm, the sources said.
It was not immediately clear if the two potential deals would feature in talks between Modi and Trump. India’s foreign ministry has said trade, defence cooperation and technology are among the issues to be discussed, as reported by Reuters.
