Washington: The US is preparing a $500 military aid package for India to deepen security ties and reduce the country’s dependence on Russian weapons, according to people familiar with the matter.
India is to be the largest recipient of such aid, and the announcement of dates and weapons are yet to be known.
The effort is part of a much larger initiative by President Joe Biden’s administration to court India as a long-term security partner. Despite its reluctance to criticize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine this initiative is undertaken by US. According to a senior US official, who wished to stay anonymous, “President Joe Biden administration plans India to be long-term security partner. He further added “The administration is working with other nations including France to make sure Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has the equipment it needs. India is already diversifying its military platforms away from Russia. Also the US wants to help make that happen faster.
Defense secretary Lloyd Austin in a news conference last month said “We’re doing all this because the United States supports India as a defense industry leader in the Indo-Pacific and a net provider of security in the region. And we all understand the challenges that we face there. The People’s Republic of China is seeking to refashion the region and the international system more broadly in ways that serve its interests.” The news conference was also attended by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Currently, India is the world’s largest buyer of Russian weapons.
US had last month announced an economic aid package for Ukraine amid the war against Russia. “It was necessary to help the Ukraine government continue to function amid the ongoing Russian invasion,” said US.
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