Bush as Indian R-Day guest?

WASHINGTON: President Bush will most likely visit India in January 2006, but the $ 5 billion question is whether he will be in New Delhi for Republic Day.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dropped broad hints that Bush had agreed to make the trip in January, but the two sides are in a tizzy whether he should be there on January 26, a date and an event fraught with enormous implications.

Bush taking the Republic Day salute as the chief guest with the Agni missile rolling past would be a further recognition of India’s nuclear status and a reaffirmation of the U.S-India alliance of the 21st century, which in the eyes of some analysts is what underpins this week’s nuclear deal.

"It will be a powerful symbolic gesture," an Indian official in the Prime Minister’s delegation said before leaving Washington, "but there is an internal debate on both sides on what signals it would send and whether it would be the right moment."

Officials are also leery about pinning the exact day because of the security implications, given the long lead time and the precise geography. One official said nothing had been decided beyond the fact that Bush would make the trip after his State of the Union address on January 20. The visit could well be in early February, he added.

The U.S President reaffirmed his decision to make the visit when the Prime Minister phoned him to thank him and bid goodbye just before he boarded the plane for his return home on Wednesday night, the official said.

The Singh government will also have to take into account domestic political considerations with the Left parties already agitated over the nuclear deal and New Delhi’s growing closeness to Washington.

Host of only four official dinners since he took office in 2001, Bush sweated his way through the fifth on Monday, wearing a black tuxedo on a sweltering hot day, only because he had promised the Indian side that Singh's visit would be "grand." The US side seemed to feel such gestures are important to India.

Hours in open air on a cold New Delhi morning watching India’s military machine will be a different proposition altogether.

Typically, foreign guests for India’s Republic Day ceremony have been leaders of friendly countries with modest strategic value. Nigerian President Olesegun Obassanjo was the chief guest in 2000, Algeria’s Abdul Aziz Bouteflika came in 2001 (the day of the deadly earthquake in Gujarat) and Mauritius President Cassam Uteem did 2003.

Iranian President Mohammed Khatami and Brazilian leader Lula da Silva, neither of them American favorites, graced Republic Day in 2003 and 2004 respectively, while 2005 was the time for the friendly neighborhood leader, the King of Bhutan.

But major western powers have always been chary of blessing India’s show of muscle. Britain’s Tony Blair is among those who turned down recent invitations.

However, there is a school of thought in Washington which is pushing for not just recognition of India’s military prowess but also supplementing it. Pentagon officials are already talking of U.S selling as much as $ 5 billion worth of technical and military equipment over the next few years, thanks to this week's nuclear deal.

The Republican President's visit would certainly push things along, especially if it comes on R-Day 2006.

Boeing to offer Super Hornet to IAF

NEW DELHI: Two days after India and the US deciding to strengthen cooperation in nuclear, defence and security issues, American aircraft firm Boeing on Friday said it was in talks with the Indian Air Force and Navy for offering the Super Hornet aircraft for IAF's multi-role combat planes and its co-production.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is in competition with aircraft of three other countries including the Eurofighter of Britain for the IAF's combat fleet, for which the Request for Proposals (RFP) documents are likely to be issued in the next two months.

Claiming that the Super Hornets, which are now being operated only by the US Navy, provided "the latest in advanced technology available anywhere in the world", Boeing Vice President Chris Chadwick said the company was pleased to offer "a premier aircraft that will help guarantee the security of India and its people".

The Super Hornet is the second (Block-2) phase of the Hornet which is flown by eight countries -- the US, Kuwait, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, Finland, Switzerland and Spain.

The fighter is fitted with electronic beaming capabilities, ray radars, day-night strike with precision- guided weapons, besides integrated and networked systems providing enhanced interoperability, situational awareness and support which allows direct communication with the troops on ground or ships at sea.

Replying to questions, Chadwick said "we are just entering into the talks process with the IAF and the industry. Some IAF personnel have flown the aircraft. We think there is a lot of capability for production, India will be the launch customer (if it choses the warplane)".

As per the Request for Information (RFI) document already issued to fighter jet manufacturers, the IAF would initially require 18 aircraft and then transit into co-production.

The Boeing official said the US aircraft major was hopeful of receiving the RFP document soon.

Asked about which of the aero-support systems would Boeing be ready to provide to India, Chadwick said it would depend on the recently-concluded Indo-US Defence Framework and the issue was "premature" at this stage.

"We will enter into discussions with all those who seek this aircraft across the board," he said.

To a specific question whether Boeing was considering joint production or manufacturing Super Hornets in India, Chadwick said "there is no issue at all with this aircraft being manufactured in India. We have co-production (of the earlier version of Hornets) with a number of countries apart from country support"...He said if Boeing succeeded in getting the Indian deal, the Indian industry could build parts of the fighter jet and "we could look at marketing" to third countries as well. But no discussions have taken place as yet on these issues.

Asked about supply of spares for the aircraft, Chadwick said that was "totally subject to US government's releaseability".

He parried a question on what Boeing would do if Pakistan asks for the aircraft saying the company was in discussions with Japan, Malaysia and Switzerland which were looking at acquiring the Super Hornets.

Well from an Indian Standpoint,having the leader of the Great Satan as your guest on the biggest celebration of India's identity doesn't send the right signals(according to the Commies).For a US president,watching ballistic missiles on mobile launchers & scores of army regiments & tanks march by & that too in a country which didn't sign the NPT may not be politically safe.

Apart from all these subjective factors,New Delhi resembles a fortress on January 26(the whole week around actually)-add GWB as the chief guest,you will need to draft in additional hordes of police & paramilitary forces from other Indian states & probably certain military units as well-Coordinating all that with the US Secret Service ain't going to be cakewalk.

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