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Swordsmyth
07-27-2018, 08:49 PM
The Indian Express reported July 26 that the government in New Delhi has agreed to sign the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the United States. India reportedly asked the U.S. government to send the final text of the agreement to New Delhi so that preparations can be made to sign it during an upcoming September 6 meeting. The "2+2" meeting will occur between Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and their U.S. counterparts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

COMCASA is a military communications agreement that is critical for establishing further interoperability between the U.S. and Indian militaries — and for the past 15 years, the agreement has been pending, bereft of signatures. This new progress toward signing demonstrates forward momentum in the U.S.-India relationship, despite recent disagreements centered on Washington's potential use of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/us-new-defense-bill-draft-congress-tones-down-some-washingtons-policies) (CAATSA) to sanction New Delhi for buying Russian military equipment. COMCASA will facilitate further cooperation between the United States and India and help the two maintain a strong relationship even as certain hurdles — such as the latter's ties with Russia — inevitably cause friction going forward.

In 2016, the two countries signed their first pact to improve military cooperation, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement. With the ratification of COMCASA seemingly imminent, that leaves just one more foundational agreement to sign — the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement — out of the three that the United States traditionally requires of non-allied countries to enhance military cooperation and interoperability.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/india-us-two-countries-military-cooperation-COMCASA

timosman
07-27-2018, 08:53 PM
They no longer support Russians?:confused:

Sonia Gandhi in Moscow, says India, Russia enjoy excellent ties due to legacy of Indira - https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-in-moscow-says-india-russia-enjoy-excellent-ties-due-to-legacy-of-indira/1129761/

Swordsmyth
07-27-2018, 08:56 PM
They no longer support Russians?:confused:

Sonia Gandhi in Moscow, says India, Russia enjoy excellent ties due to legacy of Indira - https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-in-moscow-says-india-russia-enjoy-excellent-ties-due-to-legacy-of-indira/1129761/

Maybe they know that the US and Russia aren't going to stay enemies.

timosman
07-27-2018, 09:21 PM
Maybe they know that the US and Russia aren't going to stay enemies.

Do you think there are any Russian assets among H1B visa holders? :confused:

Swordsmyth
07-27-2018, 09:24 PM
Do you think there are any Russian assets among H1B visa holders? :confused:

I wouldn't know but it is certainly possible.

timosman
07-27-2018, 09:31 PM
I wouldn't know but it is certainly possible.

How about when you call a help center in Bangalore and it all goes straight to Kremlin? :D

RonZeplin
07-27-2018, 10:21 PM
George W. Bush got some Mangoes out of India in exchange for nuclear tech, any chance that Trump will do as well?

Swordsmyth
07-31-2018, 11:23 PM
To safeguard major cities across India, the government is in discussion with Washington to procure (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/like-washington-moscow-delhi-too-to-get-missile-shield/articleshow/65181833.cms) the next-generation air defense system to protect the National Capital Region (NCR) from Chinese or Pakistani aerial threats.

The process for procuring the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System-II (NASAMS-II), a distributed and networked medium to long-range air-defense system, is currently underway, which includes new missile shields to replace outdated systems.
Indian sources say the defense acquisitions council (DAC), chaired by defense minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has approved the “acceptance of necessity (AoN) for the acquisition of the NASAMS-II worth around $1 billion.”
Sources told The Times of India that the Delhi Area Air Defence Plan, which includes Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, North, and South Blocks, could soon deploy these new multi-tiered air defense networks to adequately secure its airspace from incoming fighter aircraft, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
https://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Master-1-600x292.jpg
The NASAMS-II, armed with the three-dimensional Sentinel radars, short and medium-range rockets, multiple ground launchers, fire-distribution centers, and command and control units to rapidly detect, track and shoot down multiple airborne threats, is the same air defense system embedded in Washington, D.C, NATO countries, and Israeli cities.

https://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/DjNrg1YXoAAnrxY.jpg

India’s move to quickly acquire NASAMS-II comes as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is nearing completion of developing its two-tier ballistic missile defense (BMD) shield, which is designed to intercept nuclear missiles over the country.

“Once the Phase-I of the BMD system is operational, it will be deployed to protect cities like Delhi and Mumbai from long-range missiles with a 2,000-km strike range. The NASAMS, in turn, is geared towards intercepting cruise missiles, aircraft and drones,” said a source.


The Times of India notes that the government has kept a $2 billion procurement of two dozen Sikorsky MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters on pending status till the “two-plus-two” dialogue between New Delhi and Washington on September 06.
Before granting AoN on the MH-60 Black Hawks, India wants to “assess the US response” on different subjects, including its sanctions regime under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) that attempts to block India from purchasing Russian armaments or Iranian energy.
“The AoN for the helicopters, which are used to detect, track and hunt enemy submarines, has been deferred till September. Earlier also, it was not fielded in the DAC after US abruptly cancelled the two-plus-two dialogue (between Sitharaman and foreign minister Sushma Swaraj with their American counterparts, Jim Mattis and Mike Pompeo) slated for July,” said a source. Indian sources later explained to The Times of India that it was due to US’s upcoming engagement with North Korea.
The Times of India said Washington is moving towards granting a waiver to India from CAATSA, which means certain trade restrictions pertaining to Russia and Iran could be lifted.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-07-30/india-purchase-us-missile-shield-national-capital-region

timosman
07-31-2018, 11:49 PM
How do we know the final buyer isn't Putin?:cool:

Swordsmyth
09-06-2018, 11:00 PM
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis have joined their Indian counterparts, Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman, to sign the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which will strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries by enabling encrypted communications between their militaries, The Hindu reported Sept. 6.

In addition to COMCASA, the two sides agreed to hold tri-service military exercises in 2019 and to establish a hotline for direct communication.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situation-report/india-us-high-level-officials-sign-key-agreement-talks