Here is how US will become India’s biggest arms supplier in years to come

The United States, in the past eight years, has grabbed a business worth $10 billion from India only and is now growing as India’s biggest arms supplier. As per sources, Manohar Parrikar-led defence acquisitions council (DAC) is likely to make grounds for another big acquisition.

The Economic Times report mentions a pact of four P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft for almost $1 billion as another major acquirement.

A source aware of the development, on condition of anonymity, said, "The contract negotiation committee (CNC) has completed its work. Now, the DAC approval is needed for the offsets deviation. The proposed contract will then go to the finance ministry for vetting before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for the final nod."

The "follow-on contract" comes even after the installation of seven out of the eight P-8Is ordered from Boeing in the $2.1 billion deal inked in January 2009. Facilitated with deadly Harpoon Block-II missiles, MK-54 lightweight torpedoes, rockets and depth charges to take on enemy warships and submarines, the radar-packed aircraft serve as "intelligent hawk-eyes" over the Indian Ocean.

Simultaneously, Pentagon and South Block are also set to begin fresh negotiations next week for the proposed $770 million contract for M-777 ultra-light howitzers, under which the bulk of the 145 artillery guns to be acquired in the government-to-government deal will be made in India.

The 155mm/39-calibre lightweight howitzers, with a strike range over 25km range, can be swiftly airlifted to "threatened high-altitude areas" facing China, which outguns and outnumbers Indian troops all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control.
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