World

India clears $4.74 billion defence purchase

Official says proposals relating to purchase of air defence guns and long-range patrol aircraft have been cleared

Afp July 15, 2015

file photo of indian light combat aircraft lca 039 tejas 039 photo afp

File photo of Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas'. PHOTO: AFP

NEW DELHI: India's defence ministry has cleared the purchase of military equipment worth $4.74 billion, including four long-range patrol aircraft from US aerospace giant Boeing, an official said Wednesday.

The Defence Acquisition Council, which approves big-ticket purchases, also approved an order for 428 air defence artillery guns during a meeting late Tuesday, the official said.

"The council has cleared proposals relating mainly to purchase of air defence guns and long-range patrol aircraft for the navy," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Read: Those who fear India's new posture have started reacting: Indian defence minister

India last year lifted a cap on foreign investment in defence as the government seeks to revamp its ageing military equipment.

The right-wing government that came to power last year also wants to boost local manufacturing and end the country's status as the world's largest arms importer.

Military purchases had stalled under the previous Congress government, slowing down much-needed investment in the high-profile sector.

The order for four new planes from Boeing follows an earlier deal to buy eight P-8I aircraft from the company in 2009. India has already received seven P-8Is with the eighth expected later this year.

Read: Pakistan surspasses India's nuke count: report

The United States displaced traditional ally Russia as India's top supplier of armaments in 2013 and Washington and New Delhi renewed their 10-year Defence Framework Agreement during President Barack Obama's visit in January.

COMMENTS (26)

RiseNShine! | 9 years ago | Reply @Azeez: You probably don't know Pak Arms industry from At Least world expos, do you? Come visit us sometimes. No but that's why Modi machine keep discouraging trade or visitors from India. No doubt, we have our failures along with successes like all. We know you make good hand grenades & mines behind Balochistan & Khyber bloodshed of innocents. btw, I grew up riding Pak bike... "Sohrab". One of few industries we started with. We started with Zero, don't forget that! You should have been beyond Germany from what you inherited from British, don't you think?

Azeez | 9 years ago | Reply @RiseNShine!: first you make a bicycle then talk about own jets

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Last Word | 9 years ago | Reply @Bobb Mack: You have a point regarding India's challenge to provide basic requirements to below poverty line population which has dramatically reduced over the past few years but still remains sizable. The present govt under Modi is earnestly focusing on this issue but it may require a decade to address it completely. However, India's economy is looking up which is the fastest growing and likely to overtake China in the next two years as latter's bubble has recently busted. India has signed more than two trillion dollars trade with various countries recently which would certainly give a boost to Indian economy. This defence purchases are mostly China orientated who is trying to encircle India besides bullying all countries around South China sea. However, India refused to get intimidated and signed oil exploration with Vietnam despite China offensive gestures. However, Pakistan refuses to abandon its hostile attitude despite India extending a hand of friendship to it. Pakistan is in a mode of self-destruction focusing all resources on matching and confronting India than on its economy. This misplaced policy is dictated by its self-serving establishment who want to remain predominant at the cost of its poor masses.

Vap | 9 years ago | Reply @pat: Your ignorance mixed with jingoistic hypernationalism can be sent down the drain, here is something to burst your bubble. http://www.dawn.com/news/1194228/india-biggest-recipient-of-us-economic-assistance-over-66-year-period-usaid

Pushtun Voice | 9 years ago | Reply USA 1 : India 0

cautious2 | 9 years ago | Reply P-8 aircraft is a versatile long range platform which can carry anti ship harpoon missiles, torpedoes, sonar buoys, etc. It's looks almost benign but is extremely lethal. I doubt China or Pakistan is happy with this purchase.

yo2da2 | 9 years ago | Reply @Naveed: You are absolutely right and unlike chauvinists on this forum can see right through it. According to strategists, one way of defeating or weakening an enemy is to induce it to spend beyond its means. US did that to Russia under Reagan. (China may be doing the same to India.)

Bobb Mack | 9 years ago | Reply @Naveed: No sir, you need to look deeper and ignore illusion. If Pakistan's economy is fragile India is no better either. Yes they have larger resources but still not enough to cater for the basic needs of their population. Look at the number of people having two proper meals(most of the population is mal or undernourished) and no as soon as there is a crop failure their farmers start committing suicide. For a fair analysis you have to open up your mind. Or you a Pakistani or Indian on a Pak newspaper and trying to confuse us?

Bobb Mack | 9 years ago | Reply @Johnny K.: Ha ha ha! Well done, your analysis will put them into a spin! Could not agree more.

Ibrar | 9 years ago | Reply @Vicky: Your analysis makes no sense and is utterly one sided. You have bigger economy but much bigger population to feed and look after. You are affording to buy more weapons only by diverting resources from what should be spent on developing your people. Shamefully you top the world in the number of people in abstract poverty, number of suicides in farmers when their crops fail, sale of female babies etc...You talk about your growth but make no mention what progress Pakistan has begun to make despite its biggest fight against terror, unrest and foreign agencies trying to destabilise it. You are rightly worried about improving your control over Indian Ocean which is not surprising. CPEC, a Pak-China economic corridor is being feared as the final loop linking with Chinese increasing influence in Indian Ocean, thus completing encirclement of India. As for Loans, there is no country who does not seek loans. As far aid, it is only your pathetic and jealous way of looking at Pakistan. India and Pakistan both have been recipient of the kind of foreign aid which is never free.

GKA | 9 years ago | Reply India is being pushed by China in terms of its military hardware acquistion. Key items begging for upgrade are the SU 30 MKI operational readiness, artillery guns and submarines. LIke Pakistan, India too can claim that it has nukes to deter China, but unlike Pakistan India is ready for a short war before escalation takes it beyond point of no return

RiseNShine! | 9 years ago | Reply @Naveed: @Naveed: No, we are not, that's why we are making own Jets & Nuclear war heads of every range and purpose; for moving armies to long distance target. Plus we are extremely lucky we don't have fear of regional power like China or burden of a billion hungry soul to feed and clothe. Neither do we have a dozen almost-breaking away provinces. Neither do we have to beat minorities to convert or worst, to control their diet.

Naveed | 9 years ago | Reply We are getting trapped in India's game.....India can afford high defence budget, but our fragile economy can't afford it.....so first we should make ourselves economic power, fix problems of our country,,,,than we should think of competing India or some other country .... ...if we keep increasing our defence budget just bcoz India is increasing .....then in Next 10 years slowly slowly we'll be getting destroyed and ended to bankruptcy like U.S.S.R.

Shakti | 9 years ago | Reply India must invest more on ABMs and acquire 6th gen aircraft.

Johnny K. | 9 years ago | Reply @Vicky: Don't listen to Pak political leaders' litany of belittling their opponents to get voted by claiming their opponents' Foreign Aid blame. As A Matter of Fact; India tops all poor countries as world Biggest(Aid Recepient) Democracy, to tune of $64Billion only from U.S, in last 50 years. Encompassing Isreal, Egypt and any other poor democracies. Pakistan falls 6th...by Vietnam. Your papers are too polite, I think. Same amount of Aid you received from IMF, a little $10B more. A $billion annually from U.K., EU, Japan and other UN charities separately. Pakis are too busy in enjoying the life, what they got. Probably they don't feel any need of proving themselves poor to get more AID.

Pankaj | 9 years ago | Reply A rich economy and prosperous nation without sufficient defence is open buffet for looters. Good going India. Creating jobs for poor, eradicating corruption, strong defence, internal law and order, etc... should be taken care at same time.

pat | 9 years ago | Reply @iKnewit!: we spend only 2.5% of our gdp on defence that includes nuclear.How much does pakistan spend? im sorry how much does pakistan beg?

Nabi | 9 years ago | Reply Every one knows these kind of bubble economy now check the Brazil forex where is it now and a year before

vicktor d'souza | 9 years ago | Reply @Tanveer: Maybe so much the better ! They are at least more cultured, disciplined and organized than South Asians.

vicktor d'souza | 9 years ago | Reply @Vicky: Yeah, yeah, yeah,...don't give us the US -Soviet Union comparison. In many respects, when it comes to meeting the MDGs and beyond, India is much further down in the dumps than even here !

anas | 9 years ago | Reply @iKnewit!.......we keep on conquering problems, that's why despite of many challenges, India comes in top ten countries in field of economy, trade, agriculture, IT software, medical tourism, space missions etc.... India is a part of big economic forums like G20, brics..... India's forex reserve have crossed 350 billion dollars, compared to Pak forex reserve of 16 billion dollars..... so instead of competing with India, Pak should first compete with Bangladesh......because Bangladesh's 23 billion dollars forex reserve is higher than Pak's 16 billion dollars forex reserve.... Bangladesh's currency taka is stronger than Pakistani currency... Bangladesh's growth rate is higher than Pak's growth rate.... if Bangladesh keep this momentum on,,, then by 2024 it'll become second largest economy of Saarc, leaving Pakistan behind

Tanveer | 9 years ago | Reply Pak & hind buying warheads and Iran will be rise as economic country in regin

Vicky | 9 years ago | Reply Those who say India Pak should abandon arms race and put funds for development.... let me tell you that India is a big economic power and it has sufficient funds for all sectors including defence sector.... if Pakistan can't afford arms race, (bcoz pak economy depends on loan n aids)....then no body is forcing Pakistan to join arms race with India….. thing is, India is growing economic superpower….and not only defence budget but India is also increasing it’s infrastructure, agricultural, education budget…. so as India’s economy is growing, then India’s defence budget will also be growing…. India’s navy will keep getting bigger to control Indian ocean…… so India will keep increasing its defence budget because it can afford it….. if Pakistan can’t afford arms race with India, then better it should leave arms race , rather than giving lecture about ending arm’s race….. simple thing is, if you can afford then go for arm’s race,,,,if you can’t, then don’t go for it, and stop giving lecture to others

iKnewit! | 9 years ago | Reply The 800million Indian Poor lost and Modi Wins. That was an expected result of last 15 years of friendship with the West. Same tactic have been using in ME to get back the oil money. With heavily armed nuclear power Pakistan has nothing to worry about. Pak only need more advance subs.

jayant | 9 years ago | Reply A strong defense force will go a long way in making India what it is destined to become. A super Power. China and India will be the new power house of this century ! Our glorious destiny awaits us, India will lead the world in economics, religious tolerance and spirituality !!!!

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