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The US Defence Department, also known as Pentagon
because of the shape of its building, does not
view defence equipment sales as mere commercial
transactions and looks at them as a growth area
for the India-US partnership, a senior defence
official said recently.
"I am and will continue to be a strong advocate
of US solutions for India's defence needs,"
Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defence for
policy, told members of the Asia Society. "US
companies are eager to work with India as the
Indian military continues to modernise."
Noting two American companies, Boeing and Lockheed
Martin, are among six competitors for India's
biggest fighter-jet purchase in 15 years, she
said: "We are also looking at future sales
of the C-17 aircraft as another example of near
term defence sales."
"We understand that India is making a strategic
as well as an economic choice when it makes defence
acquisitions," she said. "Obviously,
the commercial benefits of defence sales to the
US economy can't be denied."
"But from a [Defence Department] perspective,
these sales are even more important in building
a strategic partnership that will allow both our
countries to cooperate more effectively to protect
our mutual security interests in the future,"
Flournoy said.
"Whether the scenario involves humanitarian
assistance, counterterrorism cooperation or maritime
security activities," she continued, "having
common equipment will allow more seamless cooperation."
India is seeking to build its own indigenous
defence industry, and is looking for the best
technologies to use in its defence sector, Flournoy
said.
The United States is committed to providing India
with top-of-the-line technology, and has backed
up its commitment by approving the overwhelming
majority of licenses requested last year, she
said.
Flournoy noted Defence Secretary Robert M. Gates
has made export control reform a key priority,
citing the streamlining and modernizing of the
US export control system as a national security
priority that affects the nation's ability to
build and sustain key partnerships.
India and the United States will explore ways
to counter the spread of weapons of mass destruction
through maritime cooperation, dialogue, and identifying
new technologies to combat this threat, Flournoy
said.
"We will look at ways in which, together,
we can better secure the global commons by expanding
our already robust cooperation in air, space,
cyberspace and maritime initiatives."
(IANS)
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