The US State Department has cleared potential military support deals worth a combined $428.2 million for India’s Apache rotary-wing aircraft and ultra-light howitzers.
The US State Department has cleared potential military support deals worth a combined $428.2 million for India’s Apache rotary-wing aircraft and ultra-light howitzers.
The first package, valued at $198.2 million, covers follow-on support services for India’s AH-64E Apache helicopter fleet.
The deal covers engineering, technical and logistics support, personnel training, and technical publications.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin are the main contractors for the deal.
A separate $230-million package includes long-term sustainment support for the country’s M777A2 155-millimeter towed artillery, including spare parts, repairs, training, technical assistance, and logistics support.
BAE Systems will serve as the principal contractor for that initiative.
According to the agency, the potential sale would “support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States” by strengthening ties with New Delhi, which Washington considers a critical defense partner in the Indo-Pacific.
The US also assured that the sales would not alter the regional military balance or affect American defense readiness.
“The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and deter regional threats,” the department said.
Apache and M777A2 in India
The Indian Armed Forces operates Apache attack helicopters for frontline combat missions and uses M777A2 howitzers in high-altitude regions due to the weapon’s compact and mobile architecture.
Currently, the South Asian country operates a total of 28 AH-64Es, 22 of which were procured under a 2015 US foreign military sale for the Indian Air Force, with the remainder completed through a 2017 contract for the Indian Army.
New Delhi’s arsenal also consists of 145 M777A2s acquired under a $750-million deal signed with the US in 2016 and completed in 2021.
The first 25 guns were imported from the US in a ready-to-use configuration, while the rest were locally assembled, integrated, and evaluated in India through a partnership between BAE Systems and Mahindra Defence.
US soldiers fire their M777A2 howitzer in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Photo: US DoD