US to press India on F-16, F-18 deal
The US said it was up to India to clinch a deal to co-produce F-16 and F-18 fighter jets, adding that the agreement would “enhance interoperability” between the two militaries.
“We strongly support these transfers,” Alicia Wells, a senior state department official told a subcommittee of the House of Representatives on Thursday. “If India can seize these opportunities, we can enhance interoperability between our militaries and support jobs in both countries.”
India is in the market for the joint-production of single-engine fighter jets, and US firm Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Swedish Saab’s Gripen are competing for the contract.
US firm Boeing’s F-18 is in the race to sell deck-based fighters to the Indian Navy, and is competing with French, Swedish and Russian firms. A global tender is expected in 2018.
In a written testimony, Wells drew an extremely positive picture of the state of bilateral ties, quoting President Donald Trump during PM Narendra Modi’s visit in June. The US president had said that the “relationship between India and the US has never been stronger”.
However, there is a wrinkle — the deficit in bilateral trade.
“We do need to do more to balance the trade deficit between our two countries, which totalled nearly $30 billion last year,” Wells said. “We are working closely with US trade representative and the commerce department to address the concerns of the US business community regarding India that limit market access and impede US exporters from entering Indian market.”
The commerce department is currently in the final stages of a review of a country-wise breakdown of its trade deficit, as ordered by Trump. The department will also recommend follow-up action, which could include punitive action if the deficit was caused by unfair practices. The US on Thursday said India has legitimate security interests in Afghanistan as Pakistan, in the context of Trump’s South Asia policy that required Delhi to play a larger role in war-torn country.
“Just as Pakistan has very real and legitimate security interests in Afghanistan, so does India,” said Wells. “We would like to see, and appreciate, constructive economic investment in Afghanistan’s stability and institutional stability.
Following reports of three trains derailing on Thursday, newly-appointed railways minister Piyush Goyal ordered that rails earmarked for construction of new lines during the year will be diverted towards strengthening tracks in accident-prone sections.
Seven coaches of Jabalpurbound Shaktipunj Express jumped the tracks in UP, in third such mishap in the state within a month. The engine and power car of the Ranchi- Delhi Rajdhani Express derailed near Minto Bridge, injuring one person. In the third incident, six wagons of a goods train derailed in Maharashtra hampering rail services.
The railways minister has also set a one-year target for eliminating all Unmanned Level Crossings (ULCs) existing on the 67,000-kilometre rail network.
At Thursday’s meeting, which also saw participation from officials of the Safety Directorate , the minister instructed officials to take steps to procure rails for constructing new lines. Goyal also asked officials to replace the Integral Coach Factory (ICF)-design coaches with the Germandesign Linke-Hoffman-Busch (LHB) coaches.
Ahead of the approaching winter months, Goyal has also asked officials to make provisions for adequate numbers of fog lights.
MINISTRY DECIDED THAT RAILS SET ASIDE FOR BUILDING NEW LINES WILL BE USED TO STRENGTHEN TRACKS IN SECTIONS THAT ARE PRONE TO ACCIDENTS