India negotiates with US on purchasing and jointly producing military equipment - Reuters
American combat armored vehicles Stryker (photo: twitter.com AlanAbdo13)
India is in talks with the US regarding the purchase and joint production of Stryker combat vehicles. Additionally, New Delhi is finalizing an agreement with the US on the joint production of engines for fighter jets, according to Reuters.
The information about these discussions emerged just before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, as sources familiar with the matter told the Western agency.
Analysts point out that India is the largest arms importer in the world and traditionally relies heavily on Russia for its military needs.
However, last month, US President Trump urged Modi to purchase more US defense equipment, open a new chapter, and move towards fair trade relations.
India and the US have been in extended negotiations regarding the joint production of Stryker combat vehicles, manufactured by General Dynamics (GD.N), which are also used by the US Army.
The parties are also working on finalizing contract negotiations for the joint production of fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force within India. The agreement was signed in 2023, according to two sources who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
"We certainly wish to expedite the transaction which we would like to have with the US," said Sanjeev Kumar, the Defence Production Secretary, in an interview on Sunday.
He added that such efforts are ongoing, but did not provide further details.
Officials from India's state-owned company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) are expected to meet with representatives from the US and aerospace division of General Electric (GE), which manufactures the GE-414 engines, in the coming weeks. The goal is to agree by March, sources told Reuters.
New Delhi began negotiations with the Trump administration over a plan to acquire Stryker vehicles after they were showcased to the Indian Army late last year, according to two other sources familiar with the matter, who also requested anonymity.
The plan involves India purchasing several hundred Strykers equipped with an anti-tank guided missile system, followed by joint production through a state-owned company.
It is still unclear whether these two potential deals will be included in the talks between Modi and Trump. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that trade, defense cooperation, and technology will be among the issues discussed during the talks.
