US okays sale of anti-submarine warfare gear to India for $52.8 million after Rajnath Singh-Lloyd Austin meet

The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has approved a possible foreign military sale of anti-submarine warfare and related equipment to India at an estimated cost of $52.8 million. 

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification, notifying Congress of this possible sale, the agency said in a release.  

“The Government of India has requested to buy AN/SSQ-53G High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys; technical and publications and data documentation; US Government and contractor engineering and technical support; and other related elements of logistics and program services and support. The estimated total cost is $52.8 million,” the agency said. 

The announcement came a day after Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his American counterpart Lloyd Austin and held talks at the Pentagon to deepen the bilateral relationship. According to reports, the dialogue highlighted defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, regional security, the Indo-Pacific region and other pressing international matters among other issues. 

Singh arrived in US on August 22 on a four-day official visit to further boost the comprehensive global strategic partnership between the US and India.

Singh and Austin met on August 23 after two key agreements were signed to bolster defence cooperation between the two nations. The agreements signed on Thursday pertain to the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers.  

This proposed sale will support US’s foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to strengthen the United States-India strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defence partner in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions, the DSCA said. 

The proposed sale will also improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its capacity to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations from its MH-60R helicopters. The agency further added that the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. 

The principal contractor(s) will be Sparton Corporation, located in De Leon Springs, FL, or Undersea Sensor Systems Inc. (USSI), located in Columbia City, IN, or a combination of both. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, it added. 

The Indian Navy on Wednesday commissioned the first squadron of its newly-inducted MH 60R Seahawk multi-role choppers that is expected to significantly bolster the force's surveillance and combat capabilities in the strategic waters. 

MH-60R helicopter, produced by US defence giant Lockheed Martin Corporation, is an all-weather helicopter designed to support multiple missions with state-of-the-art avionics and sensors.The chopper is a maritime variant of the Blackhawk helicopter. 

The aircraft is designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue and medical evacuation among other operations. 

India signed an agreement with the US for procurement of 24-MH 60Rs in February 2020 under the framework of foreign military sales.