Opinion | India’s China fears give new impetus to US defence ties, arms sales
- Closer ties are a win-win as the US needs more jobs in an election year while India needs a new weapons source amid Russian neutrality in Sino-Indian clashes
- Heightened defence cooperation is a bright spot in a US-India relationship that has hit rocky ground elsewhere amid differences over trade and tariffs
It has bought a wide array of US-made weapon platforms, including the P-8I, C-130J and C-17 transport aircraft, CH-47 heavy lift helicopters and Apache AH-64E attack helicopters. Many of these advanced weapon systems have already been inducted into the Indian defence services.
At the same time, New Delhi and Washington have signed agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement. The logistics agreement allows Indian and US troops to use designated military facilities for refuelling and replenishment. The communications compatibility agreement is an India-specific version of the Communication and Information on Security Memorandum of Agreement, one of the foundational agreements the United States signs with allies and close partners.
In addition, India and the US signed a landmark 2008 civilian nuclear deal, which is significant since India is not a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty or the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
