WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Thursday formally notified the US Congress of its approval of the sale to India of 31 MQ-9B drones and other military equipment worth $ 3.99 billion, overcoming token resistance from lawmakers who reportedly wanted New Delhi to carry out a “meaningful investigation” into the alleged plot of kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu before signing off on the sale.
A report that some lawmakers, including some Indian-American legislators, had put a hold on the sale, turned out to be exaggerated after the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale on Thursday, just as day after the purported wrinkle.
US officials nevertheless acknowledged that members of the Congress were consulted on the sale “to address questions that they might have” in what they said is a routine process.
Illustrative of the fact that such legislative hurdles seldom derail the White House’s overarching geo-political goals, the DSCA said in a statement that the proposed sale “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.”
“The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation. India has demonstrated a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” it added.
A report that some lawmakers had put a hex on the sale over the Pannun issue was received skeptically both in New Delhi and Washington, where support for US-India military and defence relationship outweighs other relatively minor issues and differences. India and the US overcame a much bigger issue between the two sides when New Delhi went ahead with purchase the S-400 missile defense system from Russia despite reservations in the US Congress and in the executive.
Despite the report of the sale being put on hold, Indian officials were sanguine about it going through at all times, while saying New Delhi respects the processes and procedures in Washington.
Several strategic objectives underpin such transactions, notably US desire to see India as a counterweight to China and rising tensions in the Gulf, where India is already a significant player and has deployed considerable military resources to ensure safety of the international shipping lanes and systems.
There is also the small matter of commercials involving General Atomics, the principal contractor for the deal based in California, whose large Congressional delegation will be loath to forsake the economic benefits for their constituents.
A report that some lawmakers, including some Indian-American legislators, had put a hold on the sale, turned out to be exaggerated after the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale on Thursday, just as day after the purported wrinkle.
US officials nevertheless acknowledged that members of the Congress were consulted on the sale “to address questions that they might have” in what they said is a routine process.
Illustrative of the fact that such legislative hurdles seldom derail the White House’s overarching geo-political goals, the DSCA said in a statement that the proposed sale “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.”
“The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation. India has demonstrated a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” it added.
A report that some lawmakers had put a hex on the sale over the Pannun issue was received skeptically both in New Delhi and Washington, where support for US-India military and defence relationship outweighs other relatively minor issues and differences. India and the US overcame a much bigger issue between the two sides when New Delhi went ahead with purchase the S-400 missile defense system from Russia despite reservations in the US Congress and in the executive.
Despite the report of the sale being put on hold, Indian officials were sanguine about it going through at all times, while saying New Delhi respects the processes and procedures in Washington.
Several strategic objectives underpin such transactions, notably US desire to see India as a counterweight to China and rising tensions in the Gulf, where India is already a significant player and has deployed considerable military resources to ensure safety of the international shipping lanes and systems.
There is also the small matter of commercials involving General Atomics, the principal contractor for the deal based in California, whose large Congressional delegation will be loath to forsake the economic benefits for their constituents.