India-US defence sales at all-time high: Pentagon

TOP US COMMANDER SAYS THE TWO NATIONS CAN PREVENT ADVERSARIES FROM ESTABLISHING MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN THAT THREATENS SECURITY OF TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT

India-US strategic ties are advancing at a “historic pace”, a top US military commander has said, highlighting the increased interoperability and information sharing between the two forces and an “all-time high” in New Delhi’s arms purchases from America.

The signing of COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) and LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) was cited by Admiral Philip Dawson, head of Indo-Pacific Command, to illustrate interoperability and information sharing. At a Congressional hearing on Monday, he also pointed to India’s purchases of P-8s marine surveillance aircraft, C-130Js transport carriers, Chinook choppers and M777 howitzer.

The strategic partnership between the two countries, he said in his opening statement, “continues to advance at an historic pace as we continue to increase our interoperability and information-sharing capabilities”. Defence sales to India are at an “all-time high”, he added. India’s defence purchases from the US have gone up from zero a decade ago to $18 billion and it has been cited often by officials of both countries as proof of the rapidly growing strategic ties.

In 2018, the US renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command as a nod to ties with India.

The two countries participated in five major exercises, executed more than 50 other military exchanges” that year.

COMCASA was signed at the first 2+2 ministerial that took place in New Delhi last September. LEMOA was signed before.

The two so-called “enabling agreements” or “foundational agreements” will enable the two militaries to share encrypted communication and draw logistics help from each other.