Topic: US Defence Secretary's Sales Pitch In India

Singapore Straits Times
February 25, 2008
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates will visit India this week to push the bid of American companies for a lucrative $10 billion fighter jet contract. He is expected to arrive in New Delhi tomorrow.
The visit comes just ahead of the March 3 deadline for bids for 126 jets.
A deal could mollify Washington, disappointed over the Indian government's inability to push through the landmark India-US civilian nuclear deal.
Mr Gates will push the cause of US companies Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co, which are competing with Russian and European rivals for the fighter aircraft deal, said to be one of the biggest-ever arms contracts.
Growing bilateral ties have already yielded benefits for US business, including New Delhi's decision this year to buy six C-130J military transport planes from Lockheed worth about $1US billion.
P. Jayaram