America sells $93 million worth of weapons to India
The US approved the sale of $93 million worth of weapons to India as trade tensions eased.
According to Isna, the US State Departme announced that the coury has approved two arms sales to India worth $92.8 million (£71 million), including Javelin ai-tank missiles and Excalibur precision artillery missiles.
This comes nine mohs after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Donald Trump in Washington, where both leaders pledged to “advance defense ties”. In October, the meeting led to the signing of a framework agreeme to expand defense cooperation over the next 10 years.
The move comes as India looks to diversify its arms suppliers from Russia amid reports that Trump has asked the coury to buy more weapons from the United States, the BBC reported.
While Russia remains India’s main source of arms supply, its share has declined from 62 perce to 34 perce between 2017 and 2023 as India shifts to purchasing from the United States.
On the other hand, India’s defense trade with the United States has grown from nearly zero to $20 billion, making the United States the third largest arms supplier to India after Russia and France.
The US State Departme’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the weapons “improve India’s ability to couer curre and future threats.”
The US agency announced that the $45.7 million sale of the Javelin missile system, including 100 FGM-148 Javelin missiles, a fly-to-bay missile and 25 command light launch units, had been approved. The package also includes simulation bullets, training, spare parts, technical assistance and other logistical support.
In a separate announceme, the departme approved a $47.1 million sale of up to 216 M982A1 Excalibur tactical missiles, along with fire corol systems, detonators, propella charges, technical data and repair services.
The Defense Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the proposed sales would support “US foreign policy and national security objectives” by strengthening the US’s strategic relationship with India, describing it as an “importa force for political stability, peace and economic progress” in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia.
The two statemes said that India would have “no problem in absorbing” this equipme io its armed forces.
According to the BBC, this developme has taken place at the same time as the two couries are trying to close a trade agreeme and reduce tensions after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on India, including a 25% penalty for buying oil and weapons from Russia. But tensions seem to be gradually easing after mohs of uncertaiy.
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