In an effort to enhance co-operation in the field of building aircraft carrier in India, US Navy officials held extensive talks with Indian counterparts here for five days concluding on Friday. This high-level dialogue was part of Joint Working Group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology under the aegis of Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) signed between the two countries last year.
The recently concluded JWG was the second such meeting as India firms up the design and technology plans for an upcoming 65,000 tonne indigenous carrier. An 11-member delegation from the US side, headed by Rear Admiral Thomas J Moore, Program Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers (United States Navy), visited various defence and industrial installations in India, including Shore Based Test Facility at Goa, Bharat Electronics limited (BEl), Bengaluru and Cochin Shipyard limited (CSl), Kochi.At CSl, the delegation saw the first Indian Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant which is under construction.
The concluding session of the JWG meeting was co-chaired by Vice Admiral G S Pabby, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition and Rear Admiral Moore. “During this meeting, various aspects of cooperation in the field of aircraft carrier technology were discussed and a joint statement signed,” a statement by the Indian Navy said.
The meeting was attended by members of the joint working group and relevant representatives from the Navy, Ministry of Defence, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Ministry of External Affairs. The JWG is part of DTTI.
The intent of DTTI is to reduce procedural obstacles to facilitate broader cooperation in defence production as a component of the strategic partnership. The Defence Ministry here has identified aircraft carrier technology as one of the topics of interest to pursue under DTTI.
India is also keen to acquire expertise to design and develop fighter jet engine and electronic warfare system from the US. In the past, Washington was unwilling to provide this critical know how but the DTTI is making efforts to paper over these obstacles.