US clears $93 million in arms sales to India as defence ties deepen

Washington: The Trump administration on Wednesday cleared roughly $93 million in military sales to India, underscoring the growing defence ties between the two countries.

The State Department approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and related equipment valued at an estimated $45.7 million, and Excalibur Projectiles for an estimated cost of $47.1 million

According to a statement by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, an agency within the Department of War, India requested 100 FGM-148 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy missile, 25 command launch units, and 216 Excalibur tactical projectiles.

It added that the proposed sale would “strengthen the India-US strategic relationship” and improve the security of a “major defence partner”.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions. The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats,” it noted.

The sale comes weeks after Washington and New Delhi announced a 10-year defence cooperation framework aimed at expanding collaboration in military technology, co-production, and information sharing.

On October 31, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two leaders signed a 10-year ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership’, heralding a new era in deepening the defence ties between the two nations.

“Had a fruitful meeting with my US counterpart Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur. We signed the 10 years ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership’. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership,” Singh posted on X following the meeting.

“This Defence Framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US Defence Relationship. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership,” the post added.

Hegseth also wrote on X, saying that India-US defence ties had “never been stronger”.

“I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year U.S.-India Defense Framework. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We’re enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger.”

IANS