The US offers Stryker armoured vehicles: During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, America offered the world’s most potent Stryker armoured vehicle to India. The most important thing is that America has agreed to produce this Stryker armoured vehicle in India, and its technology is also ready to be given to India.
According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to take a giant leap in India-US defence cooperation after meeting US President Joe Biden in Washington.
What Is The Pentagon’s Offer?
The Pentagon has offered New Delhi the “Stryker” family of eight-wheeled armoured fighting vehicles and upgrades to the M777. Apart from howitzers and MQ-9 Reaper drones, the US has also offered to manufacture GE-F414 aircraft engines in India with 100% technology transfer.
These deals will change India’s defence sector forever because, till now, India has been the only country to buy arms. Still, now India will also become a country to manufacture arms, and this deal is historical in this direction.
According to officials in New Delhi and Washington, the upgrade of the Stryker and the M777 lightweight howitzers will depend on the final decision of the two countries and the conditions the US has put forward with its offer. It is believed that the purpose of this visit of PM Modi is to strengthen the defence deal between the two countries.
An agreement has been signed with Micron for a $2.7 billion chip plant in India, and an agreement on quantum computing and artificial intelligence has also been signed between India and the US company.
Steps Towards Becoming Self-Sufficient In The Arms Sector
Manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems, the Stryker is an eight-wheel drive V-hull armoured infantry vehicle for fast combat in any insurgency or war-like situation.
Equipped with a 30 mm cannon and 105 mm mobile gun, the Stryker was used to good effect by US forces and NATO forces to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The US is offering the infantry combat vehicle to India, and the Modi government is interested in local manufacturing of the armoured vehicle under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” route.
According to officials, the US also offers to upgrade the 155 mm M777 howitzers with precision-guided long-range ammunition to counter the artillery challenge on India’s northern borders.
India already has 145 M777 howitzers, of which Mahindra Defense Systems made 120 in association with BAE Systems. Given the gun’s light weight, the M777 can be carried by helicopters to mountain peaks in case of any emergency in Jammu, Kashmir, or Arunachal Pradesh.
The biggest deal is expected for F-414 aircraft engines that will power indigenously built fighter jets for the coming decade and “hunter-killer” Reaper drones, which will counter India’s challenge from China.
