India moves closer towards USD 300 million weapons deal with US for its Navy

MH-60 Romeo helicopter built for India by US (File Photo/ANI)

India is moving towards clearing a proposal to buy American weapons including the Hellfire missiles and Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedoes for its MH-60 Romeo multirole helicopters.

24 of these choppers have been contracted for by the Indian Navy in a fast-track deal worth over USD 2 billion in 2020, and they have to be equipped with weapons for carrying out operations.

ANI reported that according to defence officials, the proposal for buying the weapons package for the MH-60 Romeo choppers are at an advanced stage in the Defence Ministry and negotiations are also going with the American administration for the USD 300 million deal to be concluded under the Foreign Military Sales route.

A precision-guided missile, the Hellfire missile has been used by American forces against high-value targets, including Islamist terrorists like Al Zawahiri. The MK 54 lightweight torpedoes are used by US surface ships, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters for anti-submarine warfare.

It is already inducted into the Indian Navy's P-8I anti-submarine warfare and surveillance planes.

India and the US had signed an over-Rs 16,000 crore deal to buy 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin in 2020 under fast-track procedures on a government-to-government deal to hasten the process.

As well as being equipped with multimode radars and night vision devices, the 24 MH-60 Romeos would be armed with missiles, torpedoes, and other precision-guided weapons.

MH-60s will replace Sea King choppers that will be retiring very soon. These helicopters can operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers.

These choppers were designed to conduct anti-submarine operations as well as antiship missions and search-and-rescue operations at sea.

(With inputs from ANI)