US hopes to get major share of $30 billion of India's military modernisation plan
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WASHINGTON: US military sales to India went from zero to $15 billion in the last 10 years and the United States hopes to get a major share in the $30 billion India plans to spend in military modernisation over the next seven years, says a senior American official.
At a recent hearing, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells told a congressional panel that Washington sees India as a major defence and strategic partner and wants New Delhi to play a key role in bringing peace and stability to its region. She also underlined the US desire to sell nuclear components to India.
“The $10 billion in US export content in the potential nuclear deal, we believe would generate 15,000 jobs,” said Ms Well in a testimony before the South Asia panel of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We obviously strongly support a prosperous India that plays a leading global role, both China and India are leading powers, but our relationship with India really stands on its own,” she said. “And it stands on its own because it’s based on democratic values, on close political and economic ties.”