'Exclusion of US firms from IAF jet deal a setback for ties'

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Apr 29 (PTI) India's decision to exclude
two American companies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, from its
estimated USD 11 billion 126 fighter jet deal is strategically
short-sighted and would be a setback to Indo-US ties,
well-known American experts on South Asian affairs have said.
"The Indian decision to eliminate the two US firms
from the MMRCA competition is strategically short-sighted.
There is little doubt that the decision will set the US-India
relationship back," said Lisa Curtis of the Heritage
Foundation, who is known as one of the best known friend of
India in Washington's academia and think-tank.
Ashely Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace said the move will raise questions about
why the United States should bend backwards to accommodate
India.
"You can imagine that there is great disappointment
within the US government with the decision. It will lead many
in the US to conclude that India has settled for a plane, not
a relationship, and if that is the case, it will raise
questions about why the United States should bend backwards to
accommodate India," he said.
"I think the way the decision was announced was also
unsettling: the GOI (Government of India) knew full well the
importance the administration attached to this sale. A quiet
intimation of the coming decision would have helped," said
Tellis who played a key role in the Bush Administration during
the civilian nuclear deal.
"A wasted opportunity to strengthen US-Indian
relations," observed Michael Krepon, co-founder of Stimson,
and director of the South Asia and Space Security programs.
However, this did not come as a surprise to Christine
Fair, Assistant Professor Georgetown University.
"I have been dubious for years that India would
purchase these platforms from the United States. As is well
known, such sales were trumpeted as being possible in the wake
of the Indo-US nuclear deal and indeed likely," she said.
"I was also suspicious of those claims at the time
and remained so. Over the long run, I doubt that this will
affect the US-India relationship and hopefully it will vitiate
some of the Panglossian optimism that has surrounded the
prospects of US large-ticket sales to India. There are other
opportunities that the two countries should be exploring that
are important and less politically laden," Christian Fair
said.
Curtis said, two developments taken together – stalled
civil nuclear cooperation and the decision to de-select the US
companies for the fighter air craft deal -- threaten to cast a
pall on relations for the remainder of the Obama
administration.
"After a highly successful Obama visit last fall, in
which the US President gave a nod to Indian Security Council
membership, Washington officials will begin to ask what
benefits the US derives from its dedicated efforts to improve
the relationship," she said.