New Delhi— India and the United States have signed a key military contract, marking their first major defence agreement since trade and tariff issues strained ties earlier this year. The Ministry of Defence has finalised the letters of offer and acceptance with Washington for the sustainment support of the Indian Navy’s MH-60R helicopters, a deal valued at ₹7,995 crore.
The agreement comes shortly after the US Department of Defence cleared two proposed sales to India worth USD 92.8 million, involving Excalibur artillery ammunition and Javelin anti-tank missiles. These sales are still awaiting approval from the US Congress.
The new MH-60R sustainment contract covers spares, support equipment, training modules and technical assistance, all designed to improve the helicopters’ operational availability and long-term maintenance. India had procured 24 MH-60R helicopters from Lockheed Martin for USD 2.6 billion, with deliveries beginning in 2011.
Signed under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, the agreement will allow India to operate the helicopters from dispersed bases and naval vessels, supporting the country’s push towards greater self-reliance in defence preparedness. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh was present during the signing.
This marks the first FMS military deal between the two nations since bilateral relations were impacted by US tariff actions, including a 25% duty related to crude oil imports from Russia.
