WASHINGTON: The Pentagon has notified the US Congress of its offer to sell India CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapons (SFW) worth USD 375 million to help the “Indian Air Force to develop and enhance standardisation and operational ability with the United States.”
“This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship,” the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) told the US Congress Sep 30, a day before the Senate approved the India-US civil nuclear deal.
It will also help “improve the security of an important partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in South Asia,” the agency said, assuring lawmakers “the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region”.
The proposed sale comes three weeks after US offered India a USD 170 million deal for the sale of two dozen Harpoon air to ground anti-ship missiles during Defence minister A K Antony’s visit to Washington.
“India intends to use the Sensor Fuzed Weapons to modernise its armed forces and enhance its defensive ability to counter ground-armoured threats.
“The missiles will assist the Indian Air Force to develop and enhance standardisation and operational ability with the United States. India will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles into its armed forces,” the DSCA said. “There will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale,” it added.
