US to expand jet engine technology transfer ties with India
The United States has updated its policy on gas turbine engine technology transfer to India, said a joint statement issued on Friday after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s four-day visit to the country. With the policy update, the United States will be able to expand cooperation in production and design of jet engine components to India. At the invitation of US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter, the Indian Defence Minister made an official visit to the US from December 7 to December 10, 2015. He visited multiple defence facilities including US Pacific Command (PACOM), the Pentagon, and observed flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). During their meeting, the two leaders looked forward to US companies working with their Indian counterparts to submit transfer requests that will benefit from this updated policy. “Minister Parrikar and Secretary Carter commended positive discussions at the Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC), especially in the area of Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE),” Indian Ministry of Defence said in a statement. They expressed satisfaction on the Jet Engine Technology Joint Working Group (JETJWG’s) terms of reference and discussed further cooperation in this area. Parrikar highlighted some of the initiatives the government has taken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Make in India initiative. The defence secretary hoped the initiative would pave the way for even greater participation of US companies in the Indian defence sector. The two defence chiefs sought an early completion of an MoU between their navies on “white shipping” information sharing, and also welcomed the renewal of the Fuel Exchange Agreement.
December 11, 2015 | 04:25pm IST