*New Delhi:* War Hysteric Indian Army to ink deal worth billions of dollarsfor Military Helicopters from US.
India is set to sign a $2.6-billion deal with the US to procure 24 MH-60‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopters on the sidelines of the bilateral ‘2+2dialogue’. It will also seek a waiver from the Trump administration underCAATSA for its S-400 missile systems deal with Russia, ThePrint has learnt.
The 2+2 format talkslinkwillbe held in Washington DC on 18 December between Foreign Minister S.Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with their respective UScounterparts Mike Pompeo and Mark T. Esper.
Sources told ThePrint India is now geared up to sign the chopper deal forthe Indian Navy under which it will buy 24 units of US defence majorLockheed Martin’s anti-submarine MH-60 ‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopters.Negotiations in the deal have been on for almost a decade now.
The purchase of these choppers — capablelinkofhunting submarines, hitting at enemy ships and also conducting search andrescue operations at sea — is expected to boost the Navy’s anti-submarinewarfare operations.
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Singh will sign the deal on the sidelines of the 2+2 talks, which will behis first visit to Washington as India’s defence minister.
The chopper sale was approvedlinkbythe Trump administration in April when it notified the deal to the USCongress. However, both sides were waiting for the finalisation of the 2+2dates to sign the deal.
