India keen to get 'transformative' defence technology from US
"We are looking at technologies, which are not freely available, that can give us the edge," said secretary (defence production) G Mohan Kumar.
By TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: India on Monday said it wants to acquire "unique and transformative" military technologies from the US under the new bilateral Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), even as the two countries prepare for the next round of talks on the matter later this month.
"We are looking at technologies, which are not freely available, that can give us the edge," said secretary (defence production) G Mohan Kumar, who will co-chair the DTTI meeting with his US counterpart Frank Kendall on February 23.
The four "pathfinder projects" identified during US President Barack Obama's visit here last month are relatively modest, as was then reported by TOI. The four products to be co-produced are the Raven mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), "roll-on, roll-off" intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance modules for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, mobile electric hybrid power sources, and chemical-biological warfare protection gear for soldiers.
India and the US also decided to set up working groups to explore development of aircraft carrier technologies and jet engines. "The DTTI is a very young framework... We have never co-developed and co-produced anything with the US before. Even if we are beginning on a modest scale, it can graduate to more sophisticated levels," Kumar said.
"There are so many types of technologies like aircraft carrier and jet engines that can give us the edge," he added. India, for instance, has failed to develop the Kaveri engine for its indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft, which is going to be powered by American GE engines for the foreseeable future.
Similarly, while the 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is now being constructed at Cochin Shipyard, India is also planning a second, much larger carrier thereafter. India is keen on collaboration with the US in the field of electromagnetic aircraft launch systems or EMALS, which are used to launch fighters into the sky from carrier decks.
The US, in fact, has been hard-selling 17 "transformative defence technologies" for co-development and co-production with India under the DTTI, which range from the next-generation of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and MH-60 Romeo multi-role helicopters to long-endurance UAVs and 127 mm warship guns.
"We are looking at technologies, which are not freely available, that can give us the edge," said secretary (defence production) G Mohan Kumar, who will co-chair the DTTI meeting with his US counterpart Frank Kendall on February 23.
The four "pathfinder projects" identified during US President Barack Obama's visit here last month are relatively modest, as was then reported by TOI. The four products to be co-produced are the Raven mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), "roll-on, roll-off" intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance modules for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, mobile electric hybrid power sources, and chemical-biological warfare protection gear for soldiers.
India and the US also decided to set up working groups to explore development of aircraft carrier technologies and jet engines. "The DTTI is a very young framework... We have never co-developed and co-produced anything with the US before. Even if we are beginning on a modest scale, it can graduate to more sophisticated levels," Kumar said.
"There are so many types of technologies like aircraft carrier and jet engines that can give us the edge," he added. India, for instance, has failed to develop the Kaveri engine for its indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft, which is going to be powered by American GE engines for the foreseeable future.
Similarly, while the 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is now being constructed at Cochin Shipyard, India is also planning a second, much larger carrier thereafter. India is keen on collaboration with the US in the field of electromagnetic aircraft launch systems or EMALS, which are used to launch fighters into the sky from carrier decks.
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The US, in fact, has been hard-selling 17 "transformative defence technologies" for co-development and co-production with India under the DTTI, which range from the next-generation of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and MH-60 Romeo multi-role helicopters to long-endurance UAVs and 127 mm warship guns.
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The need to have robust defence capabilities in today's day and age cannot be overstated. India has been aggressively pushing to enhance its ability to deter attacks and up its defence prowess.
2014 saw multiple steps being taken in that direction and India saw many new additions to its defence fleet. We take a look at eight achievements that deserve a special mention:
The need to have robust defence capabilities in today's day and age cannot be overstated. India has been aggressively pushing to enhance its ability to deter attacks and up its defence prowess.
2014 saw multiple steps being taken in that direction and India saw many new additions to its defence fleet. We take a look at eight achievements that deserve a special mention:
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