The Ministry of Defence has signed five-year Letters of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. for sustainment support of the Indian Navy’s MH-60R helicopters, covering spares, repairs, training and new in-country maintenance facilities.
The meeting is to take place on Friday in Istanbul at the level of deputy foreign ministers and would be the first round of negotiations since a ceasefire came into force after Israel’s war against Iran, which mainly targeted Iran’s nuclear and military facilities.
Europe appears to have accepted the prospect of acting independently of the United States, with a new rearmament program proposed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, last week.
Damage to submarine communication cables between new NATO members Finland and Sweden and their alliance partners Germany and Lithuania was likely sabotage, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday. “No one believes that these cables were cut by mistake,” Pistorius said in Brussels at an EU defence ministers meeting to discuss the different threats facing the European Union.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that the Bundeswehr needs around €58 billion ($63 billion) in 2025 to quickly close capability gaps. “As things stand, we will be allocated around €52 billion”, he said, adding, “That means we will be short of almost €6 billion next year.”
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck: “Ukraine does not have enough defensive weapons to protect the lives of its people. It is only logical that Ukraine should defend itself by being able to prevent attacks from Russia. Prohibiting it from doing so would mean the death of more people.”
The India-Japan Joint Working Group (JWG) have held preliminary meetings to initiate the process for acquisition of the ShinMaywa US-2i amphibious aircraft for the Indian Navy.
Voicing concerns over India’s nuclear liability law, the United States has asked New Delhi to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to see if it’s in compliance with the Convention on Supplemental Compensation.
The United States continues to support a UN Security Council seat for India even as it’s in touch with Indian officials on the situation in Syria, according to a US official.
