India must move towards defence systems interoperable with equipment of security partners: US Ambassador

India must move towards defence systems that are interoperable with the equipment and networks of its security partners, US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said on Tuesday.

"We (the US) share the belief that in order for India to ensure its defence and work with like-minded nations in pursuit of common security objectives, it is critical that India move toward systems - not just weapons - that are effective, agile, and resilient," Juster said at a press briefing a day prior to the beginning of the five-day DefExpo 2020 in Uttar Pradesh's capital city of Lucknow.

"In addition, we believe that India must ultimately move toward systems that are interoperable with the equipment and networks of its security partners," he added.

The Ambassador said that there is an enormous potential for industry partnership between India and the US on state-of-the-art defence equipment.

He noted that the US firms participating in the Defence Expo are partnering with companies across India, "including in Uttar Pradesh's Defence Corridor, to produce defence equipment not just for our countries' militaries, but for those of partner nations".

"For example, Tata has partnered with Lockheed Martin to build all C-130 tails and F-16 wings here. And Boeing is collaborating with HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) to produce all AH-64 Apache fuselages in Hyderabad," he said.

Boeing will showcase a range of advanced defence capabilities at DefExpo 2020, including F/A-18 Super Hornet, KC-46 tanker, AH-64E Apache and the P-8I.

In a statement last week, the Aerospace major noted that India has 11 C-17 Globemaster IIIs, eight P-8Is (with four more on order), 17 AH-64 Apaches (against an order of 22) and 10 CH-47 Chinook (against an order of 15).