India wants transformative technology from US

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the next round of talks with the US on defence cooperation this month, India today said it will like to acquire technologies which are "transformative and unique" that can give it the edge over others.

Admitting that the four projects identified under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) might appear "not very unique", a senior Defence Ministry official today said both countries will eventually graduate to a more sophisticated level.

"Something very fundamental to DTTI is that whatever we do, as far as India is concerned, we would like those technologies to be transformative and unique," G Mohan Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production) told reporters here.

He said under DTTI, India is looking for technolgies which "can give us an edge".

During US President Barack Obama's visit, the two countries had identified four "pathfinder projects" under DTTI while agreeing on a working group on aircraft carrier technology and for designing and development of jet engine technology.

"There are so many types of technology. Aircraft carrier technology, jet engine technology where the country can be given an edge," Kumar added.

He said the whole process is " demand driver" and forces will decide what meets their futuristic requirements.

The official noted that both the countries are in a new area of bilateral cooperation as they never had the opportunity of co-production and co-development.

"This entire process is evolving and basic procedures are being paved out. And in the process we have identified some of the technologies where we can be partners," he said.

Kumar stressed that DTTI is a "very young framework" and it will take sometime to evolve into something very mature.