The US Approves sale of deadliest anti-ship Harpoon missile deal with India
New Delhi: The US Government Cleared the sale of the deadliest Anti-ship missile ‘Harpoon’ to India worth USD 82 million to strengthen the bilateral strategic ties. The Government of India has requested to buy one Harpoon Joint Common Test Set (JCTS).
According to the statement released by the official said that “The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying the US Congress of this possible sale on Monday.”
The official further added that they will provide spare and repair parts, support, and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training, contractor, engineering, and logistics support services, program support, and other related elements of logistics. The estimated total cost is USD 82 million.
The DSCA said that “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and the national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defensive partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.”
The US recognized India as its ‘Major Defence Partner’ in 2016 during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US.
The US State Department said that “Harpoon will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing it with flexible and efficient Harpoon missile maintenance capabilities to ensure maximum force readiness.”
The Pentagon in its statement said that “The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region and India will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”
According to the Boing – The US Defence Forced deployed the Harpoon for the first time in 1977 and this missile is capable enough to hit the target in an all weathers, anti-ship missile system, over-the-horizon, and sea-skimming cruise trajectory with active radar guidance.
The US defense major praised the Harpoon missile and said that “The Harpoon missile is the world’s most successful anti-ship missile and is in service with the armed forces of more than 30 countries.”
