Reports Of ‘Made In China’ Defense Equipment To Be Verified: India

India’s Ministry of Defense is verifying reports that the U.S sold defense equipment to several countries using “faulty spare parts made in China". Defense Minister AK Antony, in a written letter to the parliament, responded to a question on whether the government was aware that a large number of faulty Chinese spare parts have been used in the defence equipment that were being sold by the US. In his response, Antony provided a detailed list of defense imported from the U.S in the last five years which include Landing Platform Dock (LPD) - INS Jalashwa, UH 3H Helicopters, Harpoon ASM, Long Range Acoustic Devices, Modern Hull Penetrating Periscopes, Side Scan Sonar, CI30J Transport Aircraft, Sensor Fused Weapons, C-17 Globemaster-III, P-8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft and Quick-Reaction Team (QRT) Boats. Over the last few years, India has emerged as a major importer of military hardware and last year became the second-largest FMS (foreign military sales) customer of the US with imports worth $4.5 billion. And, in the last 10 years has inked defense deals with the U.S worth over $8 billion. According to a 2011 report by the U.S Senate Armed Services Committee, 1800 cases were found in which the Pentagon had acquired counterfeit electronics. The study found that fake components have been used to build U.S. submarines, missile defense system and aircrafts such as the Boeing C-17 and the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules.