Latest news with #P-8I
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
In meet with Jaishankar, US defence secretary seeks completion of pending defence sales
NEW DELHI: As foreign minister S Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, the latter expressed hope that the US can complete several major pending defence sales to India and expand shared defence industrial cooperation. Noting mutual concern about the danger of aggression in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a US readout, the two reviewed pending defence sales, the signing of the next '10 Year Defence Framework' and progress on advanced tech policy reviews. The two countries had announced plans to pursue new procurements and co-production arrangements for Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and Stryker armoured vehicles. Talks are also on for procurement of six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft from US. Rubio 'affirms strength of India-US relations ' The US is looking at more defence procurement by India also to reduce the bilateral trade imbalance. Jaishankar told Hegseth the India-United States defence partnership is today truly one of the most consequential pillars of the relationship. "It is not built merely on shared interests, but we believe really in deepening convergence of capabilities, of responsibilities, and what we do in the Indo-Pacific, we believe is absolutely crucial to its strategic stability," he said. Jaishankar also met his counterpart Marco Rubio who, according to an American readout, affirmed the strength of the US-India relationship, highlighting implementation of the US-India COMPACT which will enhance collaboration on trade, defence, energy, countering illegal immigration and counternarcotics. Jaishankar said he discussed bilateral partnership, including trade, while sharing perspectives on regional and global developments.
United News of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Adani buys 85pc stake in Air Works for Rs 400 crore
Mumbai, July 2 (UNI) Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) has completed the acquisition of an 85.1% stake in Air Works India (Engineering) Pvt Ltd (AWIEPL) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL), the company officially announced in a stock exchange filing. The all-cash transaction was valued at Rs 400 crore for the 85.1% stake in Air Works, where no equity was exchanged. The acquisition is part of Adani Group's plans to expand its business portfolio into the aircraft services and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) segment. Air Works, which was established in 1951, is India's largest privately-owned aviation services and MRO company which caters to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), aircraft owners, lessors, and airlines, both domestically and internationally. The company is also involved in defence sector maintenance. In 2022, Air Works entered into a partnership with Boeing to carry out maintenance checks on three P-8I long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft used by the Indian Navy. The maintenance was conducted at the Hosur facility. Air Works has a presence in 35 cities across India, with key maintenance centres located in Hosur, Mumbai, and Kochi, besides a skilled workforce of around 1,300 employees. UNI XC RN
The Print
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Print
Trump White House hopeful about signing defence pact with India, finalising pending arms deals
The new defence partnership would not only focus on procurement of weapon systems but also include co-production arrangements for Javelin anti-tank guided missile and Stryker armoured combat vehicles. This was after US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth held a meeting Tuesday night with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar at the Pentagon. New Delhi: The US expressed hope that major pending American arms deals with India would be finalised and that the two countries would formally sign the new 10-year Framework for the 'US-India Major Defense Partnership.' A procurement deal for six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft between India and US is also nearing completion which would further strengthen India's surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). India inducted its first P-8I in 2013 after signing a $2.1 billion deal with the US in 2009 for eight aircraft. A follow-on order for four more was placed in 2016, with the final aircraft delivered in 2021. The upcoming ten-year agreement follows previous defence frameworks signed first in June 2005 by then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and later renewed in June 2015 by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. 'The United States is very pleased with the successful integration of many US defense items into India's inventory,' Hegseth said during his meeting with Jaishankar. 'And building on this progress, we hope we can complete several major pending US defense sales to India, expand our shared defense industrial cooperation and co-production efforts, strengthen interoperability … between our forces, and then formally sign a new 10-year Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership … which we hope to do very soon.' Hegseth also added that both countries recognised shared security challenges in the region and were capable of responding to them jointly. 'Almost right at the beginning of the administration, President Trump and Prime Minister Shri Modi set a strong foundation for our relationship, which we're building on here today: productive, pragmatic and realistic… and our nations boast a rich and growing history of cooperation driven by a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,' he added. Jaishankar pointed to the growing significance of defence ties between the two nations. 'We believe that our defence partnership is today truly one of the most consequential pillars of the relationship. It's not built merely on shared interests, but we believe in really deepening convergence and of capabilities, of responsibilities,' he said. 'And what we do in the Indo-Pacific, we believe, is absolutely crucial to its strategic stability.' Hegseth further underlined US efforts to equip India with the capabilities needed to address threats in the Indo-Pacific. Incidentally, ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Washington, the four Quad members had launched their first-ever joint Coast Guard-led at-sea observer mission on Monday aimed at improving interoperability and promoting maritime safety in the Indo-Pacific. The mission adds a new layer to QUAD maritime cooperation, shifting from conventional naval exercises toward coast guard coordination. It builds upon established defence cooperation among the members, such as the annual Malabar naval drills. Beijing has consistently criticised the Quad, accusing the group of seeking to contain its influence and of 'inciting confrontation.' Earlier the same day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had also held a separate telephonic conversation with Hegseth, urging the US to expedite delivery of the GE F404 engines for the Tejas Mk1A fighter which has been delayed by over two years. Singh also pressed for faster finalisation of an agreement for joint production of F414 engines by GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). These engines are intended for the Tejas Mk2 and the initial version of India's indigenously developed fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). In February, when he met PM Modi, Trump had publicly endorsed the potential sale of F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters to India. However, the joint statement made no mention of the aircraft. 'The leaders pledged to accelerate defense technology cooperation across space, air defense, missile, maritime and undersea technologies, with the US announcing a review of its policy on releasing fifth generation fighters and undersea systems to India,' it said. Currently, India operates several US-origin platforms such as the Lockheed Martin C‑130J Super Hercules, Boeing's C‑17 Globemaster III, P‑8I Poseidon maritime aircraft, AH‑64E Apache attack helicopters and CH‑47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, as well as Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Additionally, India operates M777 ultra-light howitzers, primarily along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and has placed orders for 31 MQ‑9B Reaper (Sea Guardian/Sky Guardian) armed HALE UAVs developed by General Atomics. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: IAF lost 'some' jets in Op Sindoor over political constraint to not hit military—Indian Defence Attaché
India.com
02-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Gautam Adani's another BIG move, signs Rs 4000000000 cash deal for…, acquires 85% stake in…
Gautam Adani- File image Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) has successfully completed the acquisition of an 85.1% stake in Air Works India (Engineering) Pvt. Ltd (AWIEPL) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL), the company disclosed in a stock exchange filing. The deal was valued at Rs 400 crore, is an all-cash transaction with no equity exchange involved. The acquisition was originally announced on December 23, 2024. Adani Group Expansion Plan The Adani Group has been planning to expand in the aircraft services and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) segment. Gurugram based Air Works was established in 1951. It is India's largest privately-owned aviation services and MRO company. It operates in original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), aircraft owners, lessors, and airlines. The company also handles defence sector maintenance. In 2022, Air Works had partnered with Boeing to carry out maintenance checks on three P-8I long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft used by the Indian Navy. Air Works Operations Air Works is in 35 cities of India and maintenance centres are in Hosur, Mumbai, and Kochi. There are around 1300 employees with the company. Air Works had registered revenue of Rs 293 crore in FY 2021-22 and it increased to Rs 354 crore in FY 2022–23 with a year-on-year rise of 21 per cent. In FY 2023-24, the revenue was Rs 356 crore which was a marginal increase compared to the previous year, according to the exchange filing.
United News of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- United News of India
EAM Jaishankar meets US Secy of Defence Pete Hegseth, discusses advancing bilateral defence partnership
Washington/New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth during which they discussed advancing the bilateral defence partnership and building on growing convergences and capabilities. In a post on X, the EAM said: 'Great to meet @SecDef Pete Hegseth in Washington DC today. 'Had a productive conversation on advancing the India-US defence partnership, building on growing convergences of interests, capabilities and responsibilities.' A US Department of Defense readout, said the two met at the Pentagon, 'to discuss the close cooperation between the two countries, weapons sales and the upcoming signing of the framework for the new defense partnership." Almost right at the beginning of the administration, President [Donald J.] Trump and Prime Minister Shri [Narendra] Modi set a strong foundation for our relationship, which we're building on here today: productive, pragmatic and realistic," Hegseth said. "And our nations boast a rich and growing history of cooperation driven by a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific." The secretary said both the U.S. and India are mutually aware of the security concerns in the region, and both nations have the ability to counter that threat together. He also touched on U.S. efforts to provide India with the tools needed to counter threats in the Indo-Pacific region. "The United States is very pleased with the successful integration of many U.S. defense items into India's inventory," Hegseth said. "And building on this progress, we hope we can complete several major pending U.S. defense sales to India, expand our shared defense industrial cooperation and coproduction efforts, strengthen interoperability ... between our forces, and then formally sign a new 10-year Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership ... which we hope to do very soon." During a meeting in February between Trump and Modi, the two leaders announced plans to pursue new procurements and coproduction arrangements for Javelin antitank guided missiles and Stryker armored vehicles. Also discussed was procurement for six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. India has already integrated into its own military weapons, such as the C‑130J Super Hercules, C‑17 Globemaster III and P‑8I Poseidon aircraft, as well as the CH‑47F Chinook, MH‑60R Sea Hawk and AH‑64E Apache. India also utilizes the Harpoon antiship missiles, M777 howitzers and MQ‑9B Sky Guardians. Also in February, President Trump and PM Modi pledged to increase military cooperation with enhanced training, exercises and operations. Hegseth and Jaishankar discussed participation in the next India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem Summit, where the two nations will continue to build on U.S.-India defense industrial cooperation and produce new innovations in technology and manufacturing. "We're eager to work alongside you to realize our shared goals," Hegseth said. "They're deep and ongoing." Jaishankar said India's relationship with the U.S. is already strong, but more can be done. "We believe that our defense partnership is today truly one of the most consequential pillars of the relationship. It's not built merely on shared interests, but we believe really deepening convergence and of capabilities, of responsibilities," EAM Jaishankar was quoted as saying. "And what we do in the Indo-Pacific, we believe, is absolutely crucial to its strategic stability." UNI RN
