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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| US, India sign 10-year defense pact - UPDATE |
| 2005-06-29 |
| WASHINGTON (AFX) - The defense ministers of the US and India have signed a 10-year agreement paving the way for joint weapons production, cooperation on missile defense and possible lifting of US export controls for sensitive military technologies. 'The United States and India have entered a new era,' a statement said after the signing by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a visit to Washington. 'We are transforming our relationship to reflect our common principles and shared national interests,' it said of the so-called New framework for the US-India defense relationship' signed at the Pentagon. The ministers agreed to set up a 'defense procurement and production group' to oversee defense trade, as well as prospects for co-production and technology collaboration,' and to sign deals on military 'research, development, testing and evaluation' as well as naval pilot training. The military pact came three months after the US unveiled plans to help India become a 'major world power in the 21st century' and ahead of a visit by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the invitation of President George W Bush from July 18 to 20. Singh is scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress. Washington has given the greenlight to Lockheed Martin and Boeing to offer F-16 and F-18 warplanes as candidates for the Indian Air Force's multi-role fighter program, while also pledging support for Indian requests for other transformative systems in areas such as command and control, early warning, and missile defense. India has relied so far on French and Russian frontline fighters. The United States also might train Indian naval pilots in strategic aircraft carrier operations, reports have suggested. |
| Posted by:anonymous5089 |
| #15 ...Avenger is unlikely to ever see combat against Israeli aircraft. On the other hand, it's gonna come in handy against some Islamoid nutcase fighter driver who decides he's going to send Hosni to commune with the Prophet. And Sergeant York...*sob*...I just can't talk about it. But ask me sometime about how one almost killed an outhouse. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2005-06-29 21:41 |
| #14 Details LOR, details. Besides some societies place a premium on looks, who are we to judge? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-29 20:09 |
| #13 The Sgt York looked cool. Too bad it couldn't shoot straight. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-06-29 17:52 |
| #12 Shoulda sold the Eqyptians the Sgt. York instead. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-29 17:11 |
| #11 Does this also make up part of the ring around the Chinese? 1. The Egypt sale likely a shot across the Israeli bow in response to technology transfers. 2. The Avenger is considered a defensive, close-range system. It's not a Patriot. Israel can develop (or has) countermeasures. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-06-29 13:10 |
| #10 #8 #5 #2 itsclear |
| Posted by: Angaitch Glinelet3422 2005-06-29 12:35 |
| #9 There's technology and then there's technology ... The issue with some of the Israeli proposed / actual sales is that they involved technologies we developed or are more advanced tech than we're ready to share with countries like India and Singapore -- not to mention China. |
| Posted by: too true 2005-06-29 11:54 |
| #8 Does this also make up part of the ring around the Chinese? US agrees to sell anti-aircraft launchers to Egypt By ASSOCIATED PRESS The Bush administration has authorized the sale of 25 Avenger anti-aircraft missile launchers to Egypt, calling its ally "an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East." After screwing the Roadmap? |
| Posted by: Glique Throlunter1528 2005-06-29 11:38 |
| #7 OS, this is the Roosevelt policy - Speak softly and carry a big stick. I like it fine. It gives the Chinese less room to complain than if we were trumpeting how we are securing the perimeter. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-06-29 10:50 |
| #6 Agreed, Old Spook, but faster please! Ima wonderin' if this has anything to do with the recent Chinese sub accident and/or the reports of the Indians outgunning our flyboyz (although, like many here, I'd be willing to be dollars to doughnuts that our boyz were under restricted RoE)? Or is it just a general cowboy attitude to ride high and tick the Chinese off over Taiwan? Inquiring minds wanna know (and Karl Rove must be ROFLHAO)! |
| Posted by: BA 2005-06-29 10:43 |
| #5 #2 Does this incline the US to promote joint technology sales by Israel to India No, they nixed sales by Israel to India and Singapore. Column One: America's irreplaceable ally By CAROLINE GLICK This week it was reported that following Israel's misguided sale of Harpy aerial drones to China, Washington is now demanding control over its weapons exports to India and Singapore. Seems to me that the Harpy business was not quite so clear cut. |
| Posted by: Unineling Chineck8630 2005-06-29 10:26 |
| #4 Excellent.... China, all your neighbors are belong to us! |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-06-29 10:11 |
| #3 Lets see... Reaching out to Vietnam - military cooperationa nd crosspostings there... Reaching out to India, 10 year pact, and hints of a far closer alliance... Nah, there's no Bush policy on China, there's no working at ringing them in with allies... The most frustrating thing about the Bush era is the refusal of the administration to blow its own horn when it comes to policy. Execution? Yep, doing a lot. Letting peopel know? Nope. I wish we could get some Reagan-esque (or even Clinton-esque) talk to go with the walk. But all in all, better to have the walk without the talk like now, then the talk without the walk like in the late 90's. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2005-06-29 09:56 |
| #2 Does this incline the US to promote joint technology sales by Israel to India rather than China? An alternative buyer. |
| Posted by: Omise Sholuting9208 2005-06-29 09:14 |
| #1 The United States also might train Indian naval pilots in strategic aircraft carrier operations Ah yes, help those new Indian aircraft carriers to come up to standard. I hope this causes the Chinese to wail and gnash their teeth. |
| Posted by: Spot 2005-06-29 08:35 |