American Industries Identify 25 Defense Technologies For Transfer To India

American and Indian industries have identified 25 new technologies for transfer to the latter under the defense trade and technology initiative (DTTI) to be made in India.

This follows an earlier attempt to offer India 17 technologies under the DTTI which did not find favor with Indian defense industries with one observing commenting that the technologies on offer were “Mickey Mouse” stuff.

But now US military-industrial complex wants to put the initiative on steroids.

American industries are reportedly pressuring the Pentagon, Department of State and the White House, besides the US Congress to step up to the plate and push through the various clearances. Those permits will allow the industry to expand into the market that still holds promise of spending $ 150 billion in this decade or so.

But clearly, the American side understands that with Narendra Modi taking up the mantra of ‘Make in India’ there can no longer be easy sales to India, via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route or commercial bids.

So the US industries are seeking to put the American and Indian bureaucracy to put skates on and move as fast as possible. One may recall that when US Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter had signed on to the DTTI, his officials had sought to palm off technologies for low-end mini drones and the like.

The information on the new tranche of 25 newer technologies is not readily available. The US Embassy here, when queried, gave a boiler plate response which basically gave an impression of an ongoing dialogue.

The response is, “Under the U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) the U.S. government is actively reviewing proposals for co-development and co-production.  The government will give each and every proposal due consideration. After U.S. government review, the proposals will be discussed between our two governments to determine mutual interest.  It would be inappropriate to comment on future proposals until then.”