The United States (US) government offered the Stryker armoured fighting vehicles’ air defence system version to the Indian military, defence officials said on Wednesday. “The US also offered to co-produce the vehicles with Indian entities,” defence officials were quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
During the fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue this month, the American side pushed for the co-production of the Stryker armoured combat vehicle. In the past as well, the US has made the push for the sale of Stryker systems to India.
Meanwhile, sources in the security establishment told ANI that India is considering the proposal made by the American establishment for the Stryker vehicles. However, India has not taken any final decision about it, they added.
Defence secretary Giridhar Aramane was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying on November 10 that India is interested in the US’ offer for joint production of Stryker armoured vehicles to meet the needs of the army.
“An initial offer on the (Stryker) infantry combat vehicles has come from the US. We have expressed our interest in discussing it further to take the co-production part ahead,” Aramane said during a joint media briefing with foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra on the 2+2 dialogue.
The 2+2 dialogue was co-chaired by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and their American counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken.
The US’ proposal came at a time when the Indian defence industry has made significant progress in the field of developing armoured combat vehicles including vehicles — such as the Wheeled Armoured Platform developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation in association with private industry.
India also deployed some of these armoured platforms in the forward areas like the Ladakh sector to help troops respond quickly to emergency situations along the China border.
Indian private firms including Bharat Forge and Tata have also made systems and provided them to the defence forces for deployment in forward areas.
What are these air defence version of Stryker armoured fighting vehicles?
A Stryker armoured fighting vehicle’s air defence system version can be deployed in high altitude areas to take out enemy aircraft to the Indian military, ANI reported.
The Stryker vehicles are manufactured by the US firm General Dynamics Land Systems, the Hindustan Times said. India’s mechanised infantry is on the threshold of a critical transformation with the army setting a brisk pace to equip its vital combat arm with a range of new capabilities.
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Updated: 29 Nov 2023, 05:51 PM IST