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Sunday, 24 January 2010

TV Commentary on US Defence Secretary Robert Gates in India

With US Defence Secretary Robert Gates's visit to India this week, ahead of his meetings in Pakistan, I was asked by Al Jazeera English to comment on India's relations with the US, China and the Russian Federation. I was able to mention the remark made to me by the Private Secretary to the Indian PM, "President Obama speaks to the Prime Minister very frequently."

Of course, while relations are warming with the US, India doesn't forget her old ally the RF, with whom she has a ten-year military pact and from whom she has just bought a number of MIG 29 fighter jets.

India says she plans to spend $50b over the next five years on updating her military hardware. Boeing and Lockheed Martin have both been licking their lips over a $10b contract for 126 multipurpose fighter jets, on the cards since 2008. The smart money is on Boeing getting the deal.

The Indo-US 2008 Singh-Bush civil nuclear deal helps India reconcile her ambitions with her limited uranium reserves.She wants to quintuple her nuclear-energy generated electricty output by 2020.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Americans used pakistani army to kill Palestenians in Jordan, Russians in Afghanistan but still did not look at the security interests of that country which China does.
Americans did not keep their contract with regard to tarapur.
Russians kept their arms supply inspite of their relations with brother communist China.Now also Americans are not keeping their p[romise with regard to Indo/US nuke deal.They try to use their political connections in Indian ruling class to get their constracts. No Loyalty.