Posted on 10/16/2010 10:20:40 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
US eyes Indian jet deal that could create 27,000 jobs
October 16th, 2010
PTI
Washington: The Obama administration is eyeing a lucrative multi-billion dollar tender for medium multi-role combat aircraft of Indian Air Force as this has the potential to create a whooping 27,000 jobs in the US.
At a time when unemployment rate continues to be at low ebb and the US President, Mr Barack Obama is struggling to create fresh jobs; such a deal bagged by an American company could give him a big political boost.
Two major fighter jet manufacturing company – Boeing and Lockheed Martin – are vying for the $10 billion Indian tender, which is expected to be raised by the US officials during the November India visit of the US President.
"If either jet wins, we estimate that it could bring 27,000 jobs to the US," the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, Mr Robert Blake, told a Baltimore-based think tank, thus indicating the important US attaches in bagging such a deal.
"Equally important, it will help seal our strategic objective of working wing-to-wing with India to bolster global security and stability," Mr Blake said.
India is the world's largest democracy, one of the world's fastest growing economies, and a rising power in Asia and beyond.
It has vibrant democratic institutions, a free press, a robust civil society, and an innovative private sector, he said.
"India's commitment to the values cherished by their people and espoused by their founders – democracy, pluralism, tolerance, openness, and respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights – animate our continued efforts to build a more peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, secure, and sustainable world," he said.
"These common values and our increasingly convergent interests have driven an unprecedented transformation in Indo-US relations in just one decade.
“After the Cold War, former president, Mr Bill Clinton, seized upon India's rapid economic emergence and liberalisation to lay the foundation for this transformation through his iconic five-day trip to India in the year 2000,” Mr Blake said.
The Bush administration built upon the Clinton legacy, with the US-India Civil Nuclear Deal — a landmark achievement for both of our countries, he said.
“Today, the wide scope and the intensity of our bilateral engagement is unprecedented and yet still growing.
“President Obama had called India our ‘indispensable’ partner for the 21st century. That’s why the President and Secretary Clinton are now forging a new strategic partnership with India that will help shape the 21st century,” Blake said.
Barky would serve us well by staying completely out of the deal.
What are the proposed airframes?
Yeah, he's going to insist the planes have no weapons capacity, in the interest of peace.
I know nothing of aircraft. I do know if they want this I do not!
Jobs for Indians. Obama is a liar.
Typical MSM thread, giving credit to Obama, if the deal goes through. This has nothing to with Bam and his Chi-town thugs.
The F-16 and the Super Hornet.
Well this was a comment to a US think-tank. The only people to promise jobs in India are EADS, who claim that up to 20,000 jobs would be created if the Eurofighter wins.
...which will be promptly outsourced to India.
I think it is still a late block F-16 and the F-18 E/F for the U.S. plus a lot of other contenders.
Don’t know.
I read a week ago that India has bought a fleet of Russian fighters.
If India want anything to do with the US under Obama, they need their head examined and then lightly boiled.
That’s a different project for the 5th generation PAK-FA stealth fighter. There was no international tender involved nor has a concrete agreement been signed.
if ohbummer gets involved, India will choose the Russians or Europeans instead. Barry p*sses off Indians.
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