June 29, 2023
India-U.S.: Major Arms Transfers and Military Exercises
Since 2008, defense trade has emerged as a central facet of
purchase of 31 armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian and
the U.S.-India security partnership, and bilateral military
SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for more
exercises across all services are now routine. The U.S.
than $3 billion. Other proposed sales include 99 turbofans
Congress designated India a “Major Defense Partner” in
and 88 engines for indigenously-produced Indian combat
2016, conveying certain defense trade and security
aircraft, 16 lightweight torpedoes, and an unspecified
cooperation privileges. With U.S.-India defense relations
number of additional Hellfire anti-tank missiles and
becoming an increasingly high-profile aspect of U.S.
Excalibur guided artillery rounds. The Biden
foreign policy—and the Biden Administration planning
Administration continues to offer India “state-of-the-art
new bilateral technology-sharing and defense co-production
capabilities,” including F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-15EX
agreements with India—Congress may wish to consider
Eagle II, and F-21 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft.
adjusting U.S. laws and regulations in response to these
plans. Possible future arms sales to and/or collaboration on
Major U.S. Arms Orders from and
advanced military technologies with India may require
Deliveries to India by Use, 2000-2022
congressional approval. Legislation introduced in the 118th
(Deliveries completed unless otherwise noted.)
Congress would enhance India’s eligibility for arms sales.
Air
Major Arms Transfers
• 28 AH-64 Apache combat helicopters (22 delivered)
India is the world’s largest weapons importer by value and
• 1,354+ AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles
is expected to spend about $220 billion in the coming
•
decade to modernize its armed forces. India’s current
245 Stinger portable surface-to-air missiles
defense arsenal is heavily stocked with Russian-supplied
• 12 APG-78 Longbow combat helicopter radars
equipment. Since 2008, about 62% of India’s defense
• 6 spare helicopter turboshafts
imports (by value) has come from Russia; other top
• 15 CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters
suppliers include France (11%), the United States (10%),
• 13 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft (12 delivered)
and Israel (7%). The U.S. government is actively
•
encouraging India to reduce its dependence on Russian-
11 C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft
origin defense articles. Prior to 2008, U.S.-India defense
• 2 MQ-9A Reaper UAVs (two-year lease in 2020)
trade was relatively limited, involving modest U.S. sales of
• 512 CBU-97 guided bombs
S-61 Sea King helicopters and Firefinder counterbattery
• 234 aircraft turboprops (228 delivered)
radars in the mid-2000s. In 2007, the United States also
• 147 aircraft turbofans (48 delivered)
provided India with an amphibious transport dock ship
under the U.S. Excess Defense Articles program—the
Sea
former USS Trenton, now the INS Jalashwa.
• 1 Austin-class amphibious transport dock
India has contracted for more than $20 billion worth of
• 24 MH-60R Seahawk ASW helicopters (3 delivered)
U.S.-origin defense articles since 2008, according to the
• 12 P-8 Poseidon patrol and ASW aircraft
U.S. government. India purchases these items through the
• 48 Mk-54 ASW torpedoes (32 delivered)
Foreign Military Sales and the Direct Commercial Sales
• 6 S-61 Sea King naval transport helicopters
processes. India last received U.S. Foreign Military
•
Financing in 1965. Major U.S. defense sales to India over
53 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
the past 15 years include transport and maritime aircraft (C-
• 1 Harpoon Joint Common Test Set (accepted)
130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globemaster IIIs, and P-8I
• 24 naval gas turbines (6 delivered)
Poseidons); transport, maritime, and attack helicopters
(CH-47F Chinooks, S-61 Sea Kings, MH-60R Seahawks,
Land
and AH-64E Apaches); Harpoon anti-ship missiles; and
• 12 Firefinder counterbattery radars
M777 howitzers, among others. India is now the largest
• 145 M-777 towed 155mm howitzers (41 delivered)
operator of C-17s and P-8Is outside of the United States.
• 1,200+ M-982 Excalibur guided artillery shells
In June 2023, the United States and India launched a
• 72,400+ SIG Sauer SIG716 assault rifles
bilateral Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) to
expand strategic technology and defense industrial
Bilateral Military Exercises
cooperation. The same month, Ohio-based General Electric
Since 2002, the United States and India have been
issued an unprecedented proposal to jointly produce its
increasing the scope, complexity, and frequency of
advanced F414 jet engine in India, and India approved the
combined military exercises, with an emphasis on maritime
security and interoperability. India now conducts more
https://crsreports.congress.gov
India-U.S.: Major Arms Transfers and Military Exercises
exercises and personnel exchanges with the United States
maritime patrol aircraft. This iteration included 42 nations,
than with any other country. (See italicized names below.)
26 warships, 21 aircraft, and a submarine.
Yudh Abhyas (Army): The 18th edition of the leading
Cutlass Express (Navy): In 2019, an Indian Navy frigate
bilateral ground forces exercise was held in November 2022
participated in maritime exercises held near Djibouti and
in northern India. Elements of the U.S. Army’s 11th
sponsored by the Pentagon’s Africa Command. The March
Airborne Division participated. The exercises are held at
2023 edition—sponsored jointly with the U.S. Central
the battalion-level (roughly 250 troops from each army),
Command—took place in Djibouti, Kenya, and Mauritius,
along with brigade-level mission planning.
and again included an Indian Navy frigate.
Vajra Prahar (Army Special Forces): U.S. and Indian
La Perouse (Navy): A two-day Indian Ocean exercise
Special Forces soldiers have held 13 joint Special Forces
sponsored by France brought together elements from five
exercises since 2010, and hundreds of U.S. Special Forces
navies (Quad plus France) in March 2023, including a
soldiers have attended India’s Counter-Insurgency Jungle
stealth frigate and fleet tanker from the Indian Navy.
Warfare School. The most recent edition of this platoon-
level exercise was held in northern India in August 2022.
Sea Dragon (Navy): This anti-submarine warfare theater
exercise held near Guam in March 2023 included forces
Cope India (Air Force): First held in 2004 as a fighter jet
from the Quad (among them an Indian Navy P-8I maritime
training exercise in northern India; in 2018, the two
patrol aircraft), plus Canada and South Korea.
countries’ air forces relaunched these exercises after a nine-
year hiatus. Cope India 2023, held in April, was the sixth
Pitch Black (Air Force): Australia hosts this biennial low-
and largest iteration ever, and included the participation of
light warfare exercise, held most recently mid-2022, and
U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers and F-15 combat aircraft.
including forces from 17 countries, including an Indian
contingent of four combat and two transport aircraft.
Tiger Triumph (tri-service): In 2019, U.S. and Indian
forces conducted their first-ever tri-service exercise in the
Red Flag (Air Force): The U.S. Air Force conducts aerial
Bay of Bengal. The exercise, designed to develop
combat exercises with units from allied and partner
interoperability for humanitarian and disaster relief
countries several times each year in the United States.
operations, involved more than 500 U.S. Marines and
Indian combat aircraft and tankers joined in 2008 and 2016.
Sailors, and about 1,200 Indian soldiers, sailors, and
airmen, along with U.S. and Indian Navy vessels.
Other Notable Issues
India joined the U.S.-commanded, Bahrain-based
Other notable bilateral exercises include Tarkash joint
Combined Maritime Force (CMF) as an associate partner
ground force counterterrorism exercises which involve U.S.
in April 2022. This multinational naval partnership has 34
Special Forces and India’s elite National Security Guard
members and oversees four Joint Task Forces. The CMF’s
troops, and Sangam naval special forces exercises which
focus areas are counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, and
bring together companies of U.S. Navy SEALs and the
counter-piracy. India’s Defense Exhibition (DefExpo) is a
Indian Navy’s Marine Commando Force.
biennial exhibition showcasing Indian defense wares. The
October 2022 edition, held in western India, was the 12th
Multilateral Military Exercises
and largest ever, attracting participants from 75 countries,
Malabar (Navy): The United States and India inaugurated
including the United States, and more than 1,300
Malabar in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise. Japan joined
companies. Aero India is a biennial air show and
in 2014 and became a permanent participant the next year.
exhibition held since 1996 in southern India, and organized
Australia’s participation began in 2020, bringing together
by India’s Ministry of Defense and Air Force. Reportedly
naval forces from all four Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
Asia’s largest air show, the February 2023 iteration
(Quad) countries for the first time since relief operations
included more than 730 exhibitors, and the United States
conducted following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.
displayed many of its most advanced military aircraft.
Malabar’s 26th edition, held off Japan’s coast in November
Numerous U.S. defense companies participated, as did the
2022, involved 11 surface ships, along with maritime patrol
largest-ever delegation of U.S. diplomats.
aircraft, helicopters, and submarines. Participating U.S.
forces included a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. India
Selected Legislation in the 118th Congress
sent a stealth frigate and a stealth corvette.
S. 2096, to enhance the eligibility of India for Foreign Military
Rim-of-the-Pacific (RIMPAC, Navy): The biennial
Sales and exports under the Arms Export Control Act, was
RIMPAC reportedly is the world’s largest naval exercise.
introduced in the Senate on June 21, 2023. H.R. 4312, for the
The 2022 edition, held near Hawaii with the participation of
same purposes, was introduced in the House a day later.
26 countries, included an Indian Navy frigate and a
maritime patrol aircraft.
Sources: U.S. Departments of Defense and State; Embassy of
India; Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Milan (Navy): India hosts this biennial Bay of Bengal
exercise, first held in 1994 with the forces of five Southeast
K. Alan Kronstadt, Specialist in South Asian Affairs
Asian nations. The U.S. Navy first participated in the early
2022 edition—the largest-ever—sending a destroyer and a
IF12438
https://crsreports.congress.gov
India-U.S.: Major Arms Transfers and Military Exercises
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