US approves sale of USD 90 mn worth of military equipment and services to India
Washington, Dec 3: The US has approved India's request to purchase USD 90 million worth of military hardware and services in support of its fleet of C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and improve the security of a Major Defence Partner , said Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the Department of Defence.
In a major sales notification to Congress, DSCA said that India continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.
Among the requests made by India include aircraft consumables spares and repair/return parts; Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD) fire extinguisher cartridges; flare cartridges; Advanced Radar Warning Receiver chipset; 10 Lightweight Night Vision Binocular; 10 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggle; GPS; Electronic Warfare; instruments and lab equipment support. The estimated total amount is USD 90 million.
The Pentagon said that the proposed sale ensures the previously procured aircraft operates effectively to serve the needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Army and the Navy transport requirements, local and international humanitarian assistance, and regional disaster relief.
This sale of spares and services will enable the IAF to sustain a mission-ready status with respect to the C-130J transport. India will have no difficulty absorbing this additional sustainment support, it said.
According to the Pentagon, the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The prime contractor will be Lockheed-Martin Company, Marietta, Georgia.
In a major move in 2016, the US had designated India a "Major Defence Partner" intending to elevate defence trade and technology sharing to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.
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Fire erupts at plastic factory in Ahmedabad; no casualties
Ahmedabad (PTI): A fire broke out at a plastic granules and mould manufacturing factory in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Sunday morning, an official said.
No casualties were reported in the incident, he said.
The blaze erupted around 8 am at Processo Plast Enterprise in the Bapunagar area, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's Additional Chief Officer (fire) Mihir Rana told PTI.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing into the sky, visible from a considerable distance in the area.
"The unit closed after the night shift and the fire broke out in the morning in the ground floor's storage facility section due to unidentified reasons," Rana said.
Nine fire tenders and several other firefighting vehicles were rushed to the spot, and the blaze was brought under control by 11 am, he said.
Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to the first floor. However, machinery and plastic materials were damaged on the ground floor, he said, adding that the exact cause of the blaze was under investigation.
