The government today gave the go-ahead for the biggest defence deal with the US so far, clearing the purchase of six C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft for Special Forces operations at a cost of about Rs 4000 crore. It’s learnt that the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the deal which will now be signed by officials soon.

The clearance comes a month ahead of the visit of US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, who will make his first trip to India on February 25-26. US pointsperson on the nuclear deal, outgoing Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns is also looking to visit India next month.

While India recently bought naval vessel USS Trenton, now rechristened as INS Jalashva, for about $50 million, there has been no military aircraft deal with the US in over five decades. The old Fairchild C-119s were the last lot of American military aircraft that India got in the 1950s. Thereafter, India’s transport fleet has largely been made up of Russian aircraft from the Antonov and Ilyushin series.

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft is known for its ability to land in makeshift airstrips and rugged runways. What is more significant for India is that the aircraft will come in the Special Forces configuration. This would include additional equipment like missile-warning systems, advance radar-warning receivers and counter-measures dispensing systems. This version is believed to be far superior to what is with Pakistan.

The deal has been in the works for a while with the Bush Administration notifying the US Congress last year of India’s request. However, it got stalled with the whole gamut of the Indo-US strategic partnership coming under sharp focus here due to strong Left opposition stemming from its rejection of the nuclear deal.

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