After Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets US President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington, the US, Indo-US defence cooperation is expected to take off, with the Pentagon offering New Delhi the “Stryker” family of eight-wheeled armoured fighting vehicles and upgrading of M777 towed howitzers. In addition to MQ-9 Reaper drones and the manufacturing of GE-F414 aircraft engines in India under 100% transfer of technology.Although the final decision on the Stryker and upgrade of the M777 lightweight howitzer depends on the terms offered by the US, the defence equipment deals will be a significant component of the outcomes of the visit, which will also see the signing of a deal with Micron for a $ 2.7 billion chip plant in India and a pact on quantum computing and artificial intelligence.It should be noted that India already possesses 145 M777 howitzers, 120 of which were produced by Mahindra Defence Systems in partnership with BAE Systems.To combat the artillery threat on Indias northern frontiers, the US is also reportedly offering to modernise 155 mm M777 howitzers with precision-guided long-range ammunition. There are already 145 M777 howitzers in service in India, 120 of which were produced by Mahindra Defence Systems in partnership with BAE Systems. Due to the M777s modest weight, it may be flown by helicopter to mountain summits in Jammu and Kashmir or Arunachal Pradesh in the event of an emergency.The largest transaction is anticipated to be for the F-414 aircraft engines that will power domestically produced fighters over the next ten years as well as “hunter-killer” Reaper drones that will help India combat China, which possesses armed drones and has also supplied them to Pakistan.
