Deepening trust for US-India Defence Cooperation: USIBC

18 February 2008

New Delhi: Premier business advocacy organization US-India Business Council (USIBC) arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi, leading the largest-ever US Executive Defence Mission to India in its 33-year history. The USIBC has a mandate to deepen US-India commercial ties.

The US-India Business Council is the premier business advocacy organization representing 275 of the largest US companies investing in India, joined by two dozen of India's largest global companies. Chaired by Indra K. Nooyi, Chairman of PepsiCo, USIBC's mandate is to deepen two-way trade and strengthen US-India commercial ties.

Comprising America's top defence companies, including GE Aviation, General Dynamics, ITT, Lockheed Martin, The Boeing Company, L-3 Communications, Northrup Grumman, Oracle, Raytheon, Sikorsky, Stonebridge International, BGR Holdings, The Cohen Group, Tri Polis, EP Team, The Fremont Group, and DRS Technologies, the broad-based Executive Defence Mission will be led by USIBC Board Member William S. Cohen, Former US Secretary of Defence, and Admiral Walt Doran and General Paul Kern, both retired four- star officers from the US Armed Services.

According to Former Secretary of Defence, William S Cohen, who is Chairman of The Cohen Group, a strategic consulting and advisory firm based in Washington, DC, "As the US prepares for its largest-ever Foreign Military Sale to India of C-130 J Transport Aircraft, as well as direct commercial sales of P-8 Naval Reconnaissance planes, the promise of deeper US-India defence cooperation is now reality, with collaborations and joint ventures between US and Indian firms already underway. US companies are looking forward to being a reliable supplier and trusted partner for the long term."

Speaking about US-India high technology collaborations, Ron Somers, President of the US-India Business Council said, "As the United States and India deepen their partnership in defence cooperation, jobs are being created in India as well as in the US, spurred by technology trade and high-end manufacturing. This is a true 'win-win' for both sides."

US defence companies under the USIBC banner have launched eight consecutive Missions to India over the past three years advocating for more robust defence cooperation.