In a move that would deepen ties between both countries, the United States government has decided to back selling General Atomics' electromagnetic launching system for aircraft carriers, and other key technologies, to India.
The new system helps jets launch off a flat deck at a faster rate and with less fatigue to the aircraft.
Defence Undersecretary Frank Kendall, who heads a joint US-India defence trade and technology effort, told Reuters he was optimistic about the two countries' efforts to cooperate on a planned aircraft carrier for India.
On the possibility of India acquiring the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) built by privately held General Atomics, Kendall said, “They're going to have to make their own decision about what technology they want, but I don't see any fundamental obstacles to them acquiring some of our carrier technologies, if they want them.”
India wants to use state-of-the-art US technology to boost the range and potency of a planned aircraft carrier to counter China's military influence in the region.
General Atomics, which has also proposed selling the system to Brazil, says selling the system to foreign countries could help lower the cost of installing the system on the new Gerald R. Ford class of US Navy aircraft carriers being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.
Kendall said the issue would be addressed by a new working group that is being set up by the two countries.
