iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Talks between the US and India regarding the proposed co-manufacture of the latest generation of Stryker, an eight-wheeled armoured infantry combat vehicle (ICVs), have advanced, reports said Sunday, June 16.
India’s defense ministry is reviewing a three-phase plan for the proposed project after the US recently offered to demonstrate the firepower and mobility of the Stryker in high-altitude areas in India, Times of India reported citing sources. “Under the plan, there will be a limited off-the-shelf purchase of the Strykers under the foreign military sales (FMS) programme of the US, which will be followed by joint production in India, and finally there will be co-development of its futuristic versions, sources said,” the report read.
This, however, is subjected to the ICV meeting the operational requirements of the Indian Army’s mechanised infantry battalions, a high level of indigenization, and transfer of critical technologies to the Indian co-production partner. which could be a defence PSU or a private firm.
TOI quoted a source as saying, “If the Stryker project is finalised, the existing Indian capabilities in ICVs will be taken into account. Strykers will have to be customised and technologically configured for Indian terrain, including operations in high-altitude areas like eastern Ladakh and Sikkim.”
Another source said, “Army also needs ICVs capable of amphibious operations in large numbers as well. Strykers are not amphibious.”
Meanwhile, the US has hailed the joint production of the Stryker with India as an indicator of growing bilateral defense partnership. The comment was made by secretary of defense Lloyd J Austin during the Shangri La dialogue in Singapore two weeks ago, ahead of US national security advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India. Sullivan and Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will be in India for an annual review meeting on June 17 and 18.
As per reports, the US has bagged Indian defense deals worth around $22 billion since 2007. New Delhi and Washington DC are negotiating the final techno-commercial aspects for signing two mega deals within this financial year.
The first of the two deals is the acquisition of 31 armed MQ-9B high-altitude, long endurance drones and associated equipment for. The project is worth $3.9 billion, as reported by TOI earlier.
The second is a deal worth approximately $1 billion for the co-production of GE-F414 jet engines by General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics for the Tejas Mark-II fighters in India, with 80% transfer of tech.
