New Delhi, May 19 (H.S.): The United States Department of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to India involving Apache helicopter support services and related equipment, with an estimated value of 198.2 million US dollars.

According to a notification issued by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs of the US State Department, the Government of India has requested procurement of maintenance and operational support services for AH-64E Apache helicopters. The request also includes engineering, technical, and logistics support services from the US government and contractors, along with technical data and publications, personnel training, and other related logistics and program support services.

The United States stated that the proposed sale would further strengthen India-US strategic relations and enhance the security capabilities of a major defence partner. The statement added that India continues to play a vital role in promoting political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asian regions.

According to the US State Department, the proposed deal will improve India’s capability to address current and future threats, strengthen homeland defence, and enhance deterrence against regional challenges. It also stated that India would face no difficulty in integrating the equipment and services into its armed forces.

The statement further clarified that the proposed sale would not alter the existing military balance in the region.

The principal contractors for the deal will be Boeing, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

The US government also stated that the proposed sale would not adversely affect American defence readiness.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar