US to rejig defence department to boost military ties with India
The United States (US) government, in a report to the Congress, said it is creating new positions in the department of defence (DoD) to strengthen its military ties with India.
Two new under secretary level posts will come up by February 2018 to steer the defence technology and trade initiative (DTTI) that seeks to overcome bureaucratic obstacles to cooperation and identify opportunities for sharing of defence technologies, said the July report.
The report was submitted jointly by DoD and the department of state, underlining different aspects of the ties, including military exercises, cyber security, technology security and India being designated a major defence partner of the US.
Established in 2012, the DTTI seeks to identify opportunities for co-development and co-production of military hardware, collaborate on science and technology projects and jointly explore policy changes needed to further the military relationship.
The report is a follow up to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) passed in 2016.
The NDAA had set a six-month deadline for the secretaries of the two departments to give their report on issues dealing with transfer of advanced technology, strengthening DTTI and resolving issues impeding trade.
Since 2014, the DoD’s efforts under DTTI have been led by the under secretary of defence for acquisition, technology, logistics.
Since 2008, India has bought or ordered military equipment worth $15 billion from the US, including C-130J special operations planes, C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I submarine hunter planes, Harpoon missiles, Apache and Chinook helicopters and M777 lightweight howitzers.
Last week, India gave nod to a $650-million proposal to buy six Apache AH-64E attack helicopters for the Indian Army from the US.