No Deal Would Be Signed For Procuring Any American Equipment for the India

[arp2041]

During the maiden visit of US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to India, no deal would be signed for procuring any American equipment for the Indian armed forces.

"During the visit, the two sides will discuss a number of steps to enhance defence cooperation but deal for procuring 22 Apache helicopters is not going to be signed during the trip," Ministry sources said to Defencenow.com.

During the trip, Panetta would focus on taking the Indo-US defence ties to the next level, besides discussing the situation in the region and the 'rebalancing' of his country's posturing in the Asia Pacific region.

"He (Panetta) would really be focusing on how we move and how we continue to move forward with that partnership," a senior defence department official said as Panetta left the US on a nine-day Asia trip, his second to the region as the Secretary of Defence.

Panetta, the former CIA chief, would visit New Delhi tomorrow on the last leg of his Asia trip, that would first take him to Singapore where he would attend the Shangri-La Dialogue and then to Vietnam.

The objective of the trip is to give a comprehensive account to the partners and countries what "re-balance" in the Asia Pacific region would mean in practice.

In November last year President Barack Obama had said in a major policy speech in Australia that the US was keen to increase its presence in the Asia Pacific region and play a bigger role in its development and progress.

Besides holding his first meeting with his Indian counterpart A K Antony, Panetta is also expected to meet a host of Indian leadership including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He is also slated to deliver a major speech at the IDSA in New Delhi.

No Deal Would Be Signed For Procuring Any American Equipment for the Indian Armed Force

 

[Abingdonboy]

What??!! Is this new or was this always the case and the Indian media got it wrong in assuming that the deal would be signed today/during his visit? Is this blow back from the Javelin farce?

 

[arp2041]

What??!! Is this new or was this always the case and the Indian media got it wrong in assuming that the deal would be signed today/during his visit? Is this blow back from the Javelin farce?

Maybe, this was always the case & there can be just false info in the Indian media (who is more worried about rakhi sawant than PM) they may have taken discussion on defence deals as signing of defence deals. This surely does not have anything to do with Javelin fiasco, maybe India wants to be slow in its approach towards US.

 

[T90TankGuy]

we do not need to sign something ever time someone comes over . after all for the past year someone from the Obama administration have been coming over almost ever week .

 

[Shatterpoint]

Why is this happening? I thought you guys were very pleased with the Apache?

 

[Abingdonboy]

Why is this happening? I thought you guys were very pleased with the Apache?

This doesn't at all signal that India won't get the AH-64 just the deal won't be signed today. False expectations caused by, most likely, mis-reporting by Indian media. I had expected this deal in around August/Sept 2012 so the June date was a welcome surpirse but it has turned out to be nonsense.

 

[Martian2]

Why is this happening? I thought you guys were very pleased with the Apache?

Perhaps India is broke and running out of foreign hard currency?

After all, India has to save most of its hard currency to ensure payment for import of foreign oil. At less than $300 billion in forex, India can only cover 7 months of imports. Military hardware is secondary when a country needs to import oil and fertilizer.

 

[Shatterpoint]

Yeah good point Martian.

 

[KRAIT]

Maybe India is broke and running out of foreign hard currency?

After all, India has to save most of its hard currency to ensure payment for import of foreign oil. At less than $300 billion in forex, India can only cover 7 months of imports. Military hardware is secondary when a country needs to import oil and fertilizer.

Yeah we are broke that's why we have money for 126 Rafale but none for 22 Apache....Hats off to you man....

 

[Abingdonboy]

Maybe India is broke and running out of foreign hard currency?

After all, India has to save most of its hard currency to ensure payment for import of foreign oil. At less than $300 billion in forex, India can only cover 7 months of imports. Military hardware is secondary when a country needs to import oil and fertilizer.

Yeah good point Martian.

Actually as this deal is pending and was started in 2010/11 the contract stipulates the old ruppee/USD ER and not current ER. This is the same for almost all pending Indian/US defence deals- Ch-47F, follow-on C-130,Follow-on P-8I, follow-on C-17 etc so there should be almost no interruption in defence dealings at all especially as the current depreciation situation is very short term in nature.

 

[Shatterpoint]

Thanks Abingdonboy for clearing that up, hopefully the deal goes through, this would be a major boost of the Indian forces.

 

[Martian2]

Yeah we are broke that's why we have money for 126 Rafale but none for 22 Apache....Hats off to you man....

You are only negotiating for 126 Rafales.

I expect this potential purchase to be delayed too due to the severe Indian economic crisis.

Thanks Abingdongboy for the clarification. However, there is nothing short-term about India's economic crisis. The Indian Rupee didn't fall off a cliff because of a minor economic hiccup. The entire Indian economy is crumbling with unsustainable deficits (e.g. fiscal and trade).

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http://www.vancouversun.com/business/India+buys+fighter+plane+others+reject/6107115/story.html

"Feb 6, 2012 – In a massive $15-billion arms deal, India has opted to buy 126 French Rafale fighter jets even though maker Dassault ... Rafale last week is only the beginning of about five months of negotiating the details of a final contract."

 

[Angad_NSA]

Perhaps India is broke and running out of foreign hard currency?

After all, India has to save most of its hard currency to ensure payment for import of foreign oil. At less than $300 billion in forex, India can only cover 7 months of imports. Military hardware is secondary when a country needs to import oil and fertilizer.

wrong flags Mr.50 cents?

 

[GR!FF!N]

wrong flags Mr.50 cents?

actually,in another forum,he posted that "Due to superior Chinese culture,he can't lower himself in the Indian level"..so,you can draw the conclusion..


@topic..

may be it is Indian media who misreported.but still,i failed to see the reason behind cut in numbers of Javelin missile..

 

[Big Boss]

Its a good news otherwise trolls will flame see US just want to sell weapons and get some dollars.

But they forget that a rising great power like India can't be ignored.

And power brings respect.