KOLKATA, India, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- India's Ministry of Defense is placing orders for U.S. armaments following joint exercises with U.S. military forces.
Russia has traditionally been India's largest arms supplier but following evidence of the capabilities of U.S. military equipment during joint exercises with the Indian army, navy and air force, the Indian army decided to purchase of several hundred Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, demonstrated during the war games, the Telegraph reported Friday.
The Javelins were deployed for Indian forces for the first time in the Yudh Abhyas 09 joint military exercise in Babina, the largest war game that the two armies have had.
A Ministry of Defense source said: "We have sent a letter of request to the U.S. government. We want to procure the Javelin ATGMs with an agreement for transfer of technology."
One point that has yet to be negotiated is the final cost of the ATGMs, which is significantly higher than the army's current anti-tank weapon, Milan anti-tank missiles made in India with French collaboration.
