Pentagon official Kendall to visit India on July 27

NEW DELHI: Two days after India was designated major defence partner of US, top Pentagon official Frank Kendall is expected to visit capital next month to review existing transfers and identify new high end technologies to bolster New Delhi’s military capabilities.

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Kendall, under secretary of defence for acquisition, technology and logistics, will reach Delhi on July 27 for the Joint Technology Group meeting with Indian defence secretary G Mohan Kumar as his counterpart.

Under-secretary Kendall is the US points person for the bilateral Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).

Top government sources told Hindustan Times that the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) has already been finalised and no further official level signing would be required for its implementation.

The finalised agreement allows India and US militaries to take each other’s support for fuelling and supplies of ships, aircraft and armoured vehicles for training, humanitarian missions and disaster relief missions with one time squaring of financial accounts each year.

In case of military operations, the permission would be reviewed on case to case basis by both sides. “For instance, India could help US military for Afghan operations but could exercise its options if the Americans are planning operation against a regime which is close to New Delhi,” a senior Indian official.

Official sources said with India virtually being part of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Kendall could discuss transfer of armed high altitude long endurance drones as well as offer aircraft and naval systems under the “Make in India” initiative.