Hagel: US, India must improve defense cooperation

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

NEW DELHI (AP) — The United States and India must seize opportunities to collaborate more on defense development and not let government red tape and other problems stymie progress between the two nations, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday.

Capping two days of meetings here, Hagel's speech to New Delhi business leaders and scholars reflected the hopes and frustrations of America's struggles to forge weapons development agreements with India.

Hagel leaves India with few concrete agreements, acknowledging the two countries — the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest — must be "results oriented" and do more to "transform our nations' defense cooperation from simply buying and selling to co-production, co-development, and freer exchange of technology."

In meetings with top Indian government leaders he pressed for broader coordination in new weapons production, including a pilot plan for the two nations to jointly develop a next-generation anti-tank missile. The U.S. is hoping to partner with India as it modernizes its military, but Indian leaders are more interested in co-development opportunities than in simply buying American-made weapons.

FULL story at link.



U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel inspects a Guard of Honor before a meeting with Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014. Hagel is on a three day official visit to India. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140809/as--united_states-india-06d7b080fb.html

[RiverNoord]

1. What the hell do we need advanced anti-tank weapons for?

We've got all the best tanks! Go figure.

[cosmicone]

2. There are essentially three problems vis à vis India

1. The US hardware comes with strings attached. Any time there is a foreign policy dispute, the US stops supplying spare parts and servicing the hardware. One just doesn't buy billions of dollars in hardware if it cannot be used unless the supplier is always pleased with the customer.

2. American support for Pakistan over the years despite proof of Pakistan's terrorist activities in India has led to Indians of all parties to mistrust US intentions.

3. When relations were good with the US during the Bush administration, US India Nuclear Cooperation Treaty was signed under which India was to procure dual-use technology for civilian purposes including an advanced nuclear fuel reprocessing center. The state department mandarins who favor Pakistan (I have no clue why) have made Obama drag his feet in fulfilling the terms. If you go to a restaurant, order breakfast and while waiting a long time for it to arrive, the waiter circulates lunch menus -- how would you feel?

In comparison, Russian, French and Israeli hardware/training come with no strings attached and they have shown to be reliable partners who also agree to jointly develop the hardware in India for export to other countries. This is why most of India's military procurement comes from those countries.

I am sure bilateral relationship will take off during the upcoming Clinton administration (i.e. Hillary.) The Clintons have always been indophiles.

[valerief]

3. Let's build more war shit. Fuck our infrastructures.

[whereisjustice]

4. We send millions of jobs and technology, they build their military with it and hide corp. profits...

seems pretty fucking cooperative to me.