India, US sign 10-year defense pact as relations enter new era
 

WASHINTON, Wednesday (AFP)

Defense ministers of the United States and India signed a 10-year agreement Tuesday paving the way for joint weapons production, cooperation on missile defense and possible lifting of US export controls for sensitive military technologies.

"The United States and India have entered a new era," a statement said after the signing by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a visit to Washington.

"We are transforming our relationship to reflect our common principles and shared national interests," it said of the so-called New framework for the US-India defense relationship" signed at the Pentagon.

The ministers agreed to set up a "defense procurement and production group" to oversee defense trade, as well as prospects for co-production and technology collaboration" and sign deals on military "research, development, testing and evaluation" as well as naval pilot training.

"Today, we agree on a new framework that builds on past successes, seizes new opportunities and charts a course for the US-India defense relationship for the next 10 years," the statement said.

The military pact came three months after the United States unveiled plans to help India become a "major world power in the 21st century" and ahead of a visit by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the invitation of President George W. Bush from July 18 to 20.

Singh is scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress.

House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert said Tuesday that he looked forward to hearing from the visitor "how our two countries can help grow the global economy and make our world safe from those who seek to do us harm."

Washington's move to boost relations between the world's oldest and largest democracies which were on the opposite sides in the Cold War is seen by analysts as part of a strategy to counter the growing influence of China, India's immediate neighbour.

The United States may back India's bid to become a permanent member in the UN Security Council, aside from its already pledged support for Japan, some analysts say. Mukherjee said the United States could also end its policy of restricting supply of dual use nuclear and space technologies to India, sanctions imposed after India became an undeclared nuclear power.

"I feel there is a possibility of a change," he told reporters.

He said specific areas for cooperation under the new agreement would be subject to negotiations but urged defense companies to study the different defense procurement procedures of the two countries to achieve quick results.

Rumsfeld did not speak to reporters but had said recently that US military ties with India would be strengthened and predicted that China's influence will decline unless it moves to a freer political system.

"It's pretty clear where India's going, and one would anticipate the relationship with India will continue to strengthen as we go through the period ahead," Rumsfeld had said.

Washington has given the greenlight to Lockheed Martin and Boeing to offer F-16 and F-18 warplanes as candidates for the Indian Air Force's multi-role fighter program, while also pledging support for Indian requests for other transformative systems in areas such as command and control, early warning, and missile defense.

The United States also might train Indian naval pilots in strategic aircraft carrier operations, reports have suggested.

The two countries would "enhance capabilities to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," the agreement said but Mukherjee gave no indication New Delhi would join the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative.

In the context of "defense trade and a framework of technology security safeguards, the pact said there would be "increase in opportunities for technology transfer, collaboration, co-production, and research and development."