Posted on 06/29/2006 7:06:11 AM PDT by ketelone
Trenton deal close to being sealed Shiv AroorPosted online: Wednesday, June 28, 2006
NEW DELHI, JUNE 27:As the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal comes up at Capitol Hill, back home, another deal is getting close to being sealed.
It is New Delhi’s acquisition of the USS Trenton, an American amphibious warship which was offered to the Indian Navy last year. With Washington’s crucial letter of acceptance (LoA) in, South Block is set to close the deal by early next month.
The warship, currently undergoing a complete refit at Norfolk, Virginia, and capable of carrying close to 1,500 personnel, will be delivered to the Navy in early 2007. Following the Indo-US strategic framework signed last year, the ship was offered to the navy as a quick symbolic reflection of the new diplomatic relationship.
A team of Indian officers from all possible warship departments, including engineering, electrical, communications, navigation, aviation and technical, will shortly be sent to the United States to familiarise itself with what will be the navy’s second largest ship after aircraft carrier INS Viraat.
Meanwhile, a nomenclature committee has already been set up by the navy to decide on a suitable name for the Austin-class Trenton.
It will be finalised soon after South Block signs on the dotted line and sends its approval back to the Pentagon.
The Indian Navy is acquiring the ship, commissioned by the United States Navy in 1971, for Rs 200 crore, a sum that covers training costs for Indian personnel.
The navy’s eagerness to induct the Trenton is also seamlessly in line with its post-tsunami ethics of being looked at as a force that can deliver massive amounts of relief material or big troop numbers across large distances.
The implications of force projection across the region would be huge, considering that the Trenton will augment an existing amphibious capability of the navy.
The navy has also expressed interest in purchasing six muti-role maritime mission helicopters for use off the warship’s deck, a deal likely to be concluded before the Trenton sails to Indian shores early next year.
Are we selling or giving ?
"the Trenton will augment an existing amphibious capability of the navy."
I hadn't realized that India had an amphibious capability. Huh.
Sounds like selling.
India has a very successful military. They have no equal among the nations in the region.
Looks like the ship's free, but they are paying for the training on it.
"Are we selling or giving ?"
It would appear that I am so generous, that I'm giving it away.
10,000,000 rupees = ~218K US
200 crore = 2,000,000,000 rupees = 2,000,000,000 / 44 dollars = 45,454,545.5 dollars.
"I hadn't realized that India had an amphibious capability. Huh."
A pretty nice one, too, considering the size of it's navy. We're seeing something wonderful in international relations these days: the formation of the long-discussed-but-never mentioned-out-loud Anglosphere (i.e. the alliance of English-speaking or English-institutionalized nations of Great Britain, the United States, India, and Australia, with a second tier of Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. Later inductees could be Taiwan, Japan and South Korea).
One of the necessary pre-conditions for the Anglosphere will be increased military co-operation. The US armed forces have been engaged in a variety of joint operations with Indian forces for many years now. The Indians are quite good militarily (very professional), and will be a valueable ally in the future.
The purpose of the Anglosphere will be to safeguard the progress and institutions of Western Civilization and democracy, and defend it against all comers, be they Islamonazis, Communist Chinese or other "rogue states" and terrorist organizations.
Is Mexico in the Anglosphere?
Well ok, I forgot to x200.
But the closing price yesterday was Rs 45.9450.
I didn't notice that either. I figured you posted an arbitrary value and converted it to its equivalent dollar figure. :^)
Strictly, no. But since so many Mexicans are in this country already, the question is almost moot. Mexico could be a valuable adjunct to Anglosphere power, provided it doesn't fall under the influence of Chavez-like figure and that it's endemic corruption and ragged economy could be fixed.
"Are we selling or giving ?"
Maybe we're going to outsource. The Indians are apparently so much better at everything than we are.
Already done. The Indian navy provides escort protection to cargo and other US ships bound for Iraq, through the straits of malacca, and other piracy prone areas near the IO.
That tagline is hilarious!
Thank you. I like it better than my last one ("Sanitized for YOUR protection...")
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.