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[DAWN] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally cleared the long-pending purchase of 145 M777 ultra-light howitzers from the United States, the US media reported on Monday.Great for cross-border firing!
The $737 million arms deal is part of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement between the United States and India, which aims to promote greater defence cooperation between the two countries.
The Pentagon’s FMS programme facilitates sales of US defence equipment and services to foreign governments.
Under the arrangement, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency serves as an intermediary, handling procurement, logistics and delivery of the purchased equipment.
"The contract will be signed within the next two months, and the deliveries are expected to start in mid-2017," an Indian defence official told news hounds in New Delhi.
"India is certainly looking forward for a much greater defence partnership under the leadership with newly elected US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
," the official said.
The official also told news hounds that the artillery pieces would help India target Death Eater bases inside Pakistain without crossing the border and that’s why acquiring the howitzers was a top priority. "It will be a game changer," he added.
Last year, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved a proposal to buy M777A2 (LW155) howitzers from the US only after a commitment from the manufacturers to set up assembly, integration and test (AIT) facilities in India to boost India’s domestic defence industry.
Under the arrangement, US subsidiary of BAE Systems will dispatch 25 M777 artillery guns in fly-away condition; remaining guns will be assembled in India in partnership with private sector company Mahindra Defence Systems.
"Developing a supply chain in India is key to our vision to develop technologies and solutions in India for both the home market and for export," the US manufacturer said.
The two companies will jointly set up an AIT facility for M777 artillery guns near New Delhi.