According to an article in the Hindustan Times by Shishir Gupta, the Indo-US defense cooperation is poised to make significant advancements following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Washington. The Pentagon has proposed offering New Delhi the Stryker family of 8×8 armored fighting vehicles, upgrades for its M777A2 towed howitzers, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and the transfer of technology for the manufacturing of GE-F414 aircraft engines in India.
Officials from both New Delhi and Washington have stated that the final decision regarding the Stryker vehicles and M777A howitzer upgrades depends on the conditions put forth by the United States. These defense equipment deals will play a crucial role in the outcomes of the visit, along with the signing of a $2.7 billion chip plant deal with Micron in India and an agreement on quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
The United States has also offered to upgrade India’s 155 mm M777 howitzers with precision-guided long-range ammunition to address the artillery challenges faced on India’s northern borders. India currently possesses 145 M777 howitzers, 120 of which were manufactured by Mahindra Defence Systems in collaboration with BAE Systems. The relatively lightweight of the M777 enables it to be transported by helicopter to mountainous regions in case of emergencies in Jammu and Kashmir or Arunachal Pradesh.