United States announced today sale of two dozen Harpoon II anti-ship missiles to India in a deal worth more than $170 million which was made public as Defense Minister A K Antony began a high level visit to the country. Pentagon has notified Congress of a possible foreign military sale to India of Harpoon Block II missiles, which would arm squadrons of the maritime-role version of Jaguar warplanes of the Indian Air Force. Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has said that India has requested a possible sale of 20 AGM-84L Harpoon missiles, which are fired from fixed-wing aircraft, and 4 ATM-84L Harpoon Block II Exercise missiles, containers, training devices, spare and repair parts. If the Harpoon deal goes through, it would be the fourth major US arms sales to India over the last three years, Press Trust of India reported. Washington has already sold to Indian military, ANTPQ37 weapon-locating radars, six giant Hercules C-130J transport aircraft and eight new maritime P-8 reconnaissance aircraft. India has also asked for supply/technical support, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, technical data and publications, US Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, the DSCA has said. "This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an important partner and to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in South Asia, " the Pentagon said.
