US Plans to Make Arms in India. Here’s How | Vantage with Palki Sharma

The U.S. is in active talks with India, talks about what America plans to make weapon systems in India to bring the defense firms of both India and the U.S. closer.

US Plans to Make Arms in India

You are aware of the reason why Trudeau’s attack is failing, He is not receiving the backup he was betting on. He was hoping that the U.S. would condemn India. The U.S. did issue statements, but what did they say? One of the statements came from the Pentagon; that’s the American defense Ministry, the Pentagon. The senior official spoke about India; he said the U.S. is in active talks with India, talks about what America plans to make weapon systems in India. The two sides are working on an agreement, a deal to streamline their defense partnership, to make the supply of weapons easier, and to bring the defense firms of both India and the U.S. closer.

So what kind of weapons can America make in India? The plan is yet to be finalized, but broadly four areas hold promise: intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and weapons for ground-based conventional warfare. The Pentagon is looking at the big picture; China is a serious challenge, and the U.S. needs India to counter it.

Let me quote: “Actually, our perception is that getting the U.S-India relationship proper is not only essential; it’s important to reaching our technique within the Indo-Pacific. There is a broad and deep dedication to making that happen. Let me repeat a part of it: The relationship is not just necessary; it is essential.” That is a message from the Pentagon.

The shift is clear; its foundations were laid earlier this year when Prime Minister Modi visited the United States. A series of big-ticket defense deals were sealed, including the deal on fighter jets, fighter jet engines, and the Drone agreement. There was a special emphasis on Tech transfer, also on manufacturing weapons in India. And expect the momentum to carry into 2024 because Joe Biden could be visiting India again. He’s been invited as a chief guest for India’s Republic Day.

Prime Minister Modi has extended the invite personally. They met earlier this month; Biden was in New Delhi for the G20. As you know, he met Prime Minister Modi at his official residence; this was just a day before the leaders’ summit. The White House is yet to confirm whether Biden will attend; the plan is still being worked out. Reports say India is also talking with other Quad Partners, Australia, and Japan. Next year, India will host the Quad Summit, so if Australia and Japan agree, their leaders could join Biden in New Delhi; they too could attend India’s Republic Day.

So the trend is clear, a stronger partnership and new synergies. Let me give you an example: Last year, on the 9th of December, Indian and Chinese troops clashed on the border. The confrontation happened in the Tawang sector; which is in Arunachal Pradesh. It is an Indian state, but China stakes claim on it; it says Arunachal Pradesh belongs to China. So on that day, December 9, Chinese troops showed up; they came with spiked clubs and tasers, clearly looking to attack.

But India’s reinforcements took them by surprise. India repelled the Chinese troops; reports say the PLA was caught off guard. It was almost as if Indian soldiers knew that they were coming. So the Indian side was prepared, and the U.S. had a role to play here; the U.S. military had shared real-time intelligence. They’d been tracking the PLA’s movements for weeks. The U.S. saw the Chinese troops conducting drills or test exercises as they called them; this was in preparation for the offensive. The PLA wanted to test Indian defenses; they were looking to gain a foothold by entering Indian Territory.

The U.S. put together all of this intelligence; the positions of Chinese soldiers were identified, pictures were taken through satellites, and the U.S. relayed all of this information to India. This was actionable Intelligence; it helped India. Here is how one official described it, and I’m quoting again: “They were waiting, and that’s because the U.S. had given India everything to be fully prepared for this. It demonstrates a take a look at the case of the success of how the 2 militaries are cooperating and sharing intelligence.

So India and the U.S. are collaborating on security; they’re working together in real-time, and this is a pivotal shift. China is not happy about this; one report described Beijing as being, quote-unquote, enraged when they heard that the U.S. had given Intel to India. It’s a long story short; this is a mutually beneficial partnership. India is getting better weapons and intelligence; America is getting a strategic partner against China. This is not to say that the relationship does not have limitations; there is still the baggage of the past and some skepticism, which the likes of Justin Trudeau would like to exploit. Unfortunately for them, success is unlikely.