No, India is not planning to pause defence procurement from US. Centre rubbishes 'false, fabricated' report
A Reuters report claimed that India paused talks for significant defense equipment procurement from the United States. However, senior defence officials rejected this claim
A Reuters report claimed that India paused talks for significant defense equipment procurement from the United States. However, senior defence officials rejected this claim
A Reuters report claimed that India paused talks for significant defense equipment procurement from the United States. However, senior defence officials rejected this claim
A Reuters report claimed that India paused talks for significant defense equipment procurement from the United States. However, senior defence officials rejected this claim
In the wake of US President Donald Trump's aggressive 50 per cent tariff move against India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly cancelled a planned trip to the US.
According to a Reuters report, India has also paused talks to procure defence equipment from the US, including Stryker combat vehicles made by General Dynamics Land Systems, Javelin missiles developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and some Boeing reconnaissance planes.
The report claims that Singh was to make a few announcements in the US regarding some of these planned procurements.
Nonetheless, Reuters quoted an official as saying that the weapon purchases will go ahead if and when India has clarity on tariffs and where the ties between the two countries are headed.
"Written instructions had not been given to pause the purchases," another official has been quoted as saying.
The report said Singh was planning to announce the purchase of six Boeing P8I reconnaissance aircraft and support systems at a cost of $3.6 billion for the Indian Navy.
Nonetheless, one of the officials clarified that the broader U.-India defence engagements, including intelligence sharing and joint military drills, are continuing without any hurdles.
It is to be noted that a few months ago, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, the India and PM and Trump had welcomed the significant integration of US-origin defence items into India's inventory to date, including C 130J Super Hercules, C 17 Globemaster III, P 8I Poseidon aircraft; CH 47F Chinooks, MH 60R Seahawks, and AH 64E Apaches; Harpoon anti-ship missiles; M777 howitzers; and MQ 9Bs.
Trump had then said the US would expand defence sales and co-production with India to strengthen interoperability and defence industrial cooperation.