New Delhi
Though the fate of the nuclear deal remains uncertain, the US will
make a strong pitch for expanding defence ties with India and press
New Delhi for signing a crucial logistics support agreement when
Defence Secretary Robert Gates comes here next month.
"The defence secretary will visit India towards the end of February.
There has been an enormous growth in the US' defence ties with India
in the past three-four years," US ambassador David Mulford told
reporters here at his residence.
"These are among agreements aimed at improving interoperability
between the militaries of the two countries," Mulford replied when
asked about the proposed logistics support agreement (LSA) which the
Indian government is reluctant to sign due to pressure from its Left
allies.
"There is no intention to diminish India or put India under US
influence. I am very confident they will be signed," Mulford said,
alluding to the Left's attack on the logistics pact which they fear
will compromise India's strategic sovereignty.
Gates' visit will underscore deepening defence ties between India
and the US with Lockheed Martin leading in the race to win a one
billion dollar Indian contract to sell six Hercules transport
planes.
Lockheed is also competing for a $10-billion Indian contract to sell
126 fighter jets to the Indian Air Force.
Over the last four years, the India-US defence ties have been
steadily growing, especially after the two countries signed a
landmark defence agreement in the summer of 2005.
Last year, India held joint naval exercises with the US, Australia,
Japan and Singapore. The Indian armed forces are planning at least
five joint combat exercises with the American forces this year.
But the Left parties in India seem determined to play the spoiler in
India-US defence ties as they suspect it could end up robbing New
Delhi of its strategic autonomy.
Taking the Left sensitivities into account, the ruling United
Progressive Alliance has put on hold a series of crucial defence
pacts like the LSA, Maritime Security Cooperation Framework (MSCF),
Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement
(CISMOA) and Container Security Initiative (CSI).
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