AK Antony to discuss pacts facilitating defence purchases

AK Antony will take up contentious bilateral agreements that would pave the way for purchase of crucial defence equipment costing billions of dollars when he visits the US next week.

The cabinet committee on security affixed its stamp of approval on Friday on the agenda for the defence minister’s visit beginning September 27.

A ministry source said Antony would discuss CISMOA (communication and information security memorandum of agreement), LSA (logistic support agreement) and BECA (basic exchange and cooperation agreement for geo-spatial cooperation) with his American counterpart. These agreements are crucial to execution of defence deals between the two countries.

Elaborating, minister of state for defence Pallam Raju said, “The agreements would also enable Washington to share critical technologies. It could be construed as the US administration reposing faith in India given our good track record as a credible partner.”

Washington has repeatedly said that transfer of technology rested on signing of bilateral pacts. These agreements have been long pending and have affected big-ticket defence purchases from the US.

American giants Lockheed Martin and Boeing are participating in the world’s single-largest $12-billion defence deal for supplying 126 fighter jets, F-16 and F-18, respectively, to Indian Air Force.

The deals would be executed once the agreements are signed, ministry sources said.

The other deals in the pipeline are for buying M-777 ultra-light howitzers, C-17 heavy transport aircraft, additional C-130J transport aircraft, mostly through the direct foreign military sale route.

Antony’s two-day reciprocal visit will involve meetings with US secretary of state Robert Gates and national security advisor General James Jones. His 10-member delegation will include Lt General Bikram Singh and Vice-Admiral DK Joshi, who are slated to be the next chiefs of the army and navy.