New York/Washington: The US has approved the sale of Excalibur guided artillery projectiles, Javelin anti-tank missile system and related equipment worth nearly USD 93 million to India, saying it will improve the country’s capability to strengthen its defence and deter regional threats.
The proposed sale would be India’s first major purchase of US defence equipment after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent in August for the country’s purchases of Russian oil.
The US said the sale will improve the security of a “major defence partner”, which continues to be an “important force” for political stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency said on Wednesday that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of Excalibur Projectiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 47.1 million and of Javelin Missile System and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 45.7 million.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress about the sales.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions,” the agency said.
The government of India has requested to buy up to 216 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles, it said.
Non-MDE (major defence equipment) items that will also be included in the sale are ancillary items; Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems (PEFCS) with Improved Platform Integration Kit (iPIK); primers; propellant charges; US Government technical assistance; technical data; repair and return services; and other related elements of logistics and programme support, it added.
On the sale of Excalibur projectiles, the agency said, “The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing precision capability equipment, which will increase first strike accuracy in its brigades.”
The Indian government has requested to buy 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds; one Javelin FGM-148 missile, fly-to-buy; and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) or Javelin Block 1 Command Launch Units (CLU), it said.
It also listed a range of non-MDE items, including missile simulation rounds; battery coolant unit; interactive electronic technical manual; and Javelin operator manuals, apart from refurbishment services and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
“The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats,” it said.
For both the proposed sales, the agency added that India will have no difficulty “absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces” and also that the proposed sales of these equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor for the Excalibur Projectiles will be Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corporation. Stating that the US government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale at this time, the agency said that any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional US government or contractor representatives to India, and there will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale, it said.
The principal contractors for the Javelin missile system will be an RTX Corporation/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) of Orlando, Florida and Tucson, Arizona, it added.
