Japan, India to discuss military plane sales

Dr Singh addresses Japan's business lobby

JAPAN is close to signing an agreement to supply amphibious planes to India, a report said on Monday (May 27), in what would be the first sale of hardware used by the military since a weapons export ban was imposed.

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During a four-day visit to Tokyo by Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, starting later Monday, the two sides are set firm up plans for Delhi to purchase the US-2, a domestically-developed aircraft used by Japan?s armed forces.

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The sale, reported by the Nikkei business daily, would be the first of a finished product made by Japan?s homegrown defence industry since rules were imposed restricting the export of weapons systems and other equipment.

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It would also mark a strengthening of the alliance between Japan and India, which both see rising China as a threat to regional stability.

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Experts say the aircraft must be classed as for civilian use if it is to comply with Japan?s 1967 self-imposed ban on arms exports, part of the post-World War II anti-militarist drive.

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The US-2, which was developed by ShinMaywa Industries and has been sold to the Japanese navy at a price of roughly 10 billion yen ($99m/?65.45m), has a range of 4,700km and can land in seas with waves of up to three metres.

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?If the US-2 is exported to India for civilian use, that would be the first case of exports of Japanese-developed weaponry used by the defence ministry for civilian use,? a trade ministry official in charge of arms sales told reporters.

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ShinMaywa opened a sales office in New Delhi last year and has been promoting the plane there, a spokesman for the company said.

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?We hear there is some demand from the Indian government but decline to comment further as we have yet to reach a contract,? he added. The Nikkei said India is looking to acquire at least 15 of the aircraft.

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Japan has sought to expand the market for its defence industry. It has previously exported technology or parts of military hardware but not finished products.

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The plane could be deemed to have a non-military - for example, search and rescue - purpose if ?friend-or-foe? identification systems were disabled, officials said, making it eligible for export.

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In 2011 Tokyo eased the ban on arms exports, paving the way for Japanese firms to take part in multinational weapons projects.

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Source: http://www.gg2.net/news/india-news/Japan,+India+to+discuss+military+plane+sales/5106

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