US has approved the sale of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Missiles and 16 MK-54 Torpedoes to India. The deal was approved at $155 million.
Crux of the Matter
Strengthening Indo-US Ties To combat Coronavirus, the US recently signed a huge deal of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) drug with India. And in the backdrop of Indian pharmaceuticals receiving clearances from USFDA and extension of stay of the H1B visa holders, the defence deal of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Missiles at cost of $92 million and 16 MK-54 All-Up-Round Lightweight Torpedoes with 3 practice torpedos and related equipment at cost of $63 million will deepen and strengthen the Indo-US bilateral ties.
#ICYMI: Fast-attack submarine #USSOlympia fired a Harpoon missile at the ex-USS Racine during the first #RIMPAC SINKEX, marking the first time a Harpoon had been fired from a #USNavy sub in more than 20 years – https://t.co/0PSTWJNzpJ via @USNINews #NavyLethalty pic.twitter.com/we3MVxT4Z7 — U.S. Navy (@USNavy) July 31, 2018
The deal will be finalized after US Congress clears the deal and it enters into price negotiations round. To increase naval security, both weapons will be fit onto India’s existing fleet of P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said, “India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence.”
Geopolitical Muscle According to the report of SIPRI, India’s import of weapons from Russian fell by 42% between 2014-18. India is constantly increasing the variety of weapons in its arsenal to combat China flexing its muscles in the Indian Ocean regions and to counter Russian and Chinese designed weapons used by China and Pakistan.
In recent times, Indo-US weapons deals have significantly helped Indian armed forces to increase their deterrent power. The US-made Chinook, Apache, Remo Helicopters, Harpoon Missiles, and Torpedoes could prove to be critical weapons for India. Since 2017 the US has cleared sales of 10 weapons requested from India, roughly worth $7.85 billion.
Curiopedia
Torpedo is a cigar-shaped, self-propelled underwater missile that can be launched from a submarine, surface vessel, or airplane and is designed for exploding upon contact with the hulls of surface vessels and submarines.
The word torpedo comes from the name of a genus of electric rays. Robert Fulton introduced the name to refer to a towed gunpowder charge used by his French submarine Nautilus (first tested in 1800) to demonstrate that it could sink warships.
The Howell Automobile Torpedo was the first self-propelled torpedo produced in quantity by the United States Navy, which referred to it as the Howell Mark I Torpedo.
In 2019, for the first time, India exported its missiles. Southeast Asian nations and Gulf nations were the first buyers.
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