The United States has formally approved the supply of critical military hardware and logistic support assets to India, valued at approximately $131 million. This move, cleared by the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the Pentagon, reflects the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations and aligns with broader US foreign policy objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.

The DSCA has delivered the required certification for the proposed military supplies and notified the US Congress, a standard procedure for foreign military sales. This approval comes at a time when the US administration is encouraging India to further expand its military procurement from American defense firms, underscoring the growing defense cooperation between the two countries.

The proposed military package is routed through the "foreign military sale" mechanism and is directly linked to the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) program, a key initiative under the Quad framework involving the US, India, Australia, and Japan. The IPMDA aims to enhance maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific by leveraging advanced technologies, such as commercial satellite radio frequency data collection, to provide near real-time information on maritime activities, improve transparency, and counter illicit activities like illegal fishing and "dark shipping".

According to the official US readout, India has requested a suite of technology and support, including Sea-Vision software, remote software, analytic support, and access to Sea-Vision documentation, along with other logistics elements. These assets are expected to significantly bolster India’s maritime domain awareness capabilities, analytical functions, and strategic posture in the region.

The US government emphasised that the proposed sale will:

Strengthen the US-India strategic relationship
Enhance the security of a major defence partner
Support political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia
Improve India's ability to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime surveillance and response capabilities

The principal contractor for the supply is Hawkeye 360, based in Herndon, Virginia, a company specialising in space-based radio frequency data analytics for maritime domain awareness.

The DSCA further noted that India is well-positioned to integrate these articles and services into its armed forces, and the proposed sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region. There will be no adverse impact on US defense readiness as a result of this transaction.

This development is a testament to the ongoing commitment of both countries to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, and highlights the importance of technology-driven cooperation to address shared maritime security challenges.

PTI