With Major Defence Partner status, India will be offered simplified licensing requirements
With U.S. designating India as a Major Defence Partner (MDP), licensing regulations to acquire sensitive military technologies, such as those that go into the F-16 and F-18 fighter jets, will be simplified.
An official said on Friday that the designation “institutionalises” the cooperation achieved so far between the two countries.
This is a unique designation conferred on India, outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries and U.S. treaty allies such as Australia and Japan.
Legal framework
Earlier this week, the U.S. Congress exceeded the national Defence Authorisation Act to beautify defence and protection cooperation with India. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter agreed on the provisions of the designation in New Delhi on Thursday. President Barack Obama has to sign the bill into a law.
This comes at a time while India is considering proposals for a brand new fighter plane to be built below the “Make in India” initiative, in significant numbers, with generation transfer. U.S. aerospace majors Boeing and Lockheed have submitted proposals to construct their F-18 and F-16 fighter jets. Saab of Sweden has completed so for Gripen.
“The MDP cases [the process of] licensing for military and dual-use objects. It streamlines the process and reduces India’s licensing necessities,” another reputable said.
A senior official of the Pentagon, with enjoying in defence acquisition and generation, could be precise to expedite topics for India. however, the reputation will now not assist evade multilateral manage regimes.
Officers said the designation become envisaged as a way to deliver India on the identical degree because of the U.S. treaty allies, in the absence of a proper treaty among the two nations.
Officials have expressed self-assurance that the progress achieved beneath projects which include the Defence era change Initiative (DTTI) and the India speedy response mobile (IRRC) within the Pentagon might keep inside the subsequent U.S. administration as it's far now enshrined in the U.S. law. India and the U.S. are predicted to announce a prime new project beneath the DTTI. A reputable said it'd be announced by using year stop.