Hope Indian govt will look afresh at US defence foundational pacts: Boeing official

Bengaluru US companies are hopeful that the Narendra Modi government will take a fresh look at the issue of signing US foundational agreements for transfer of military technology and weapons according to a top Boeing officialI hope the new government will take a fresh look at it I think it is Indias advantage to do so It will really ease a lot of government to government transactions said retired US Air Force Lt General and Boeings vice presidnet for International Business Development Defense Space and Security The UPA government had refused to sign the agreementsIt will also build more trust on the US side that India does recognise and take more seriously some security issues around very sensitive technology Kohler here for the ongoing fiveday Aero India air show told PTIUS law requires the country to sign three agreements logistics support CISMOA Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement and BECA Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for geospatial cooperation before agreeing to transfer sophisticated military technology and weaponsKohler said the change the new government made to increase FDI to 49 per cent was a very positive step but things wouldnt happen overnightKohler was earlier Director of the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency that is tasked with directing and overseeing American foreign military sales along with other functions Kohler said Even Make In India may not move as fast as some Indians would like to see because it takes timeHe said You just dont jump into the global supply chain as a top supplier with no experience So you have to start small and build the way up Kohler said the workforce and management have to understand that they have to be competitive in the globalmarket by having the best product at the lowest cost The workforce and management have to understand that they have to be competitive in the global market I have to have the best product at the lowest cost and Indian companies are going to help a lot there It takes time to build up experience and knowhow to get that done he addedKohler said US companies are definitely ready to share their intellectual property with countries for them to produce the product Right now Kohler said what India needs is to be part of global supply chain not necessarily niche defence productsThe Indian industry needs most right now is to be a part of global supply chain not necessarily niche defence products but get into the global supply chain he addedExplaining the need for signing foundational agreements Kohler said During the discussions with Indian counterparts when I was with the US government I had said suppose India sells the Brahmos to country A and then it sells to country B and then to country C and that country sells to them who are at your border How do you feel There will be security problems he saidIndia needs to protect their technology so that it does not fall in wrong hands and is used against it some day These are the issues that India has to sort it out Kohler added Asked about the future of IndoUS defence cooperation Kohler said defence technology and trade initiative Modi and US President Barack Obama talked about has been very positiveI think the defence technology and trade initiative Prime Minister Modi and President Obama talked about is very positive They selected a couple of projects he said He said he is very excited about the future but in some ways they are little hindered by some offset policies in spite of making steady progressIn some ways we are little hindered by some of the offset policies although are making steady progress where we need to be he added However Kohler said it does not mean that US companies dont want to do offsetsI dont mean that US companies dontwant to do offsets We do that in the world We just accept that as a part of business internationally but there has been so much promise in India he addedAsked whether US companies are ready to pump in money and set up units in India and share the technology knowhow when the Indian government has been stressing on Make In India policy Kohler said that the US government and its companies are willing to share small amounts of sensitive technologyUS companies and US government are willing to share very small amount of sensitive technology Share and let the Indian government use it but may be not teach everything about how to build it he saidKohler moreover said the US would definitely want partners but business dynamics does not allow giving away all their technology because they are in the business of making money to continue their growth