That the Indo-US trade deal is not just about trade despite its nomenclature, but also of matters ‘strategic’ became clear when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, soon after his February 3 meeting with Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, expressed Washington’s interest in “expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the QUAD”.
The mention of ‘QUAD’ (short for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) is definitely not a slip and is deliberate by design, indicating where the interests of the two nations lie.
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Loosely structured as an anti-China mooring, ‘QUAD’ was a flagship policy of Donald Trump during his first term, aimed at curtailing Chinese influence and paramountcy in the Indo-Pacific.
The four ‘QUAD’ countries—India, the US, Australia and Japan—state their commitment to a “free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific” as well as a rules-based international order—euphemisms that China thinks are directed against it. Taking potshots, China has even termed the ‘QUAD’ as a “mini NATO” in the Indian Ocean.
On the other hand, the announcement of the India-US trade deal after protracted negotiations has important ramifications for military cooperation and collaboration between the two nations.
There could be fast-tracking of the GE F404 engines for India’s LCA Tejas Mark1A fighter aircraft, even as the Indian Air Force faces the huge challenge of scarcity of combat aircraft.
In place of a mandated 43 fighter squadrons, it has only about 30 now.
The major reason for the failure of HAL to meet the delivery deadlines of LCA Mk1A to IAf was the delayed delivery of GE F404 aero-engines.
The frost in the bilateral ties, exemplified by tariff barriers being erected by the US, had also put into question the tie-up for the GE F414 engines that are expected to power LCA Mk2.
The technology transfer and a joint venture deal to produce GE F414 aero-engines were signed in June 2023.
India already fields sufficient military hardware from the US, which includes the AH-64 Apache (attack helicopters), CH-47 Chinook (transporter), C-130J and C-17 Globemaster III (heavy transport planes), P-8I Neptune (for long-range maritime reconnaissance), AGM-114 Hellfire, Stinger, Javelin missiles, besides the MQ-9A Reaper, M777 artillery guns and a range of ammunition.
With ties on the upswing now, there is every possibility that military ties and collaborative production affairs between India and the US would also head northwards.
