India must build defence systems interoperable with security partners: US envoy

The US said Tuesday India must move towards defence systems that are interoperable with those deployed by its security partners. "It is critical that India moves toward systems, not just weapons, that are effective, agile, and resilient," US Ambassador Kenneth Juster told reporters ahead of a five-day

Defence Exposition which begins here on Wednesday. "We believe that India must ultimately move toward systems that are interoperable with the equipment and networks of its security partners," he said.

The Ambassador said the potential for industry partnership between India and the US on state-of-the-art defence is "enormous". He said along the pathway to a deeper industry-to-industry relationship "there are, of course, barriers that we must overcome".

"It is our goal to identify obstacles to enhancing industry-to-industry cooperation and formulate solutions in concert with the government of India as well as the US and Indian industry, so that we can build a closer defence relationship," he said.

Juster, who is leading the US delegation at the 11th edition of the Government of India's defence exhibition, said visitors were attracted to the event as it offered an opportunity to view defence technology and the latest high-tech gadgetry. The theme of the DefExpo this year is 'Digital Transformation of Defence'.

He also said the "greatest value of the occasion is it provides for our companies to foster closer industry-to-industry ties in what is a key pillar of the US-India relationship". "I have found in my travels in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere in India that the potential for industry partnership between our two countries on state-of-the-art defence

equipment is enormous," he said. US firms participating in this event are at present partnering with companies across India, including in Uttar Pradesh's Defence Corridor, to produce defence equipment "not just for our countries' militaries, but for those of partner nations," Juster said.

For example, he said, Tata has partnered with Lockheed Martin to build all C-130 tails and F-16 wings here, while Boeing is collaborating with HAL [Hindustan Aeronautics Limited] to produce all AH-64 Apache fuselages in Hyderabad. Juster said the US' defence cooperation with India continued to grow stronger and defence trade between both countries' companies was creating skilled jobs in India.

"In the years to come, we look forward to working with India to further advance our defence ties," he said.