U.S. Arms Sales to India
Since ending sanctions against India in 2001, the United States has sought increased defense cooperation with and arms sales to India. U.S. arms sales to India have come under greater scrutiny as India's treatment of its Muslim citizens and democratic backsliding raise human rights concerns while India's purchase of Russia weapons at times raises the specter of U.S sanctions on Narendra Modi's government under CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act).
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India was the world’s largest arms importer from 2019-2023, accounting for 9.8% of global major conventional weapons imports. Russia remains the top seller of arms to India, providing 36% of arms deliveries to India, however this has fallen from 58% during the previous five-year period. France and the United States provided the second and third most weapons to India from 2019-2023, with the U.S. accounting for 13% of India's imports.
In 2021, the Biden administration notified Congress of just over than $2.5 billion in potential arms sales to India and
in 2023, security cooperation between the United States and India appeared to increase with high profile visits of U.S. and Indian officials, including Prime Minister Modi visit in June. In 2024, more than $4 billion in potential sales to India have been notified to Congress.
Experts to contact: Ari Tolany, Jeff Abramson
(Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others. Institutional affiliation is indicated for identification purposes only. Please contact experts directly for further comments.)
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India was the world’s largest arms importer from 2019-2023, accounting for 9.8% of global major conventional weapons imports. Russia remains the top seller of arms to India, providing 36% of arms deliveries to India, however this has fallen from 58% during the previous five-year period. France and the United States provided the second and third most weapons to India from 2019-2023, with the U.S. accounting for 13% of India's imports.
In 2021, the Biden administration notified Congress of just over than $2.5 billion in potential arms sales to India and
in 2023, security cooperation between the United States and India appeared to increase with high profile visits of U.S. and Indian officials, including Prime Minister Modi visit in June. In 2024, more than $4 billion in potential sales to India have been notified to Congress.
Experts to contact: Ari Tolany, Jeff Abramson
(Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others. Institutional affiliation is indicated for identification purposes only. Please contact experts directly for further comments.)
Select Timeline (see official arms sales notifications in the "Government" section further below)
2024
On October 7, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of fifty-three (53) MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedo all up rounds for an estimated cost of $175 million. (See also Sept. 21 joint factsheet with updates on defense cooperation.)
On August 23, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale AN/SSQ-53G High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys and related support for an estimated cost of $58.2 million.
On February 1, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of thirty-one (31) MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft; one hundred seventy (170) AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, three hundred ten (310) GBU-39B/B Laser Small Diameter Bombs (LSDB), and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.99 billion.
2023
On November 7, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin met with Minster of Defense Rajnath Singh to discuss expanding defense industrial cooperation, enhancing interoperability, and advancing innovation through the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), and participated in the fifth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue alongside Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar (see press release here).
On September 8, President Biden visited India for the G20 Summit, during which he notified the conclusion of negotiations for the manufacture of GE F-414 jet engines and a second Master Ship Repair Agreement, and welcomed the issuance of a Letter of Request to procure 31 MQ-9B (see press release here).
On June 23, Prime Minister Modi visited Washington DC for an official state visit, during which a statement was issued announcing agreements to manufacture in India GE F-414 jet engines and HAL Light Combat Aircraft Mk 2, as well as understandings and agreements on future defense cooperation, including the India-U.S Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) and procurement of UAVs (see press releases U.S., India).
On February 14, media outlets reported that a 2022 $2.2 billion dollar deal between India and Russia for MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI fighter jets has stalled (see media here).
On January 21, President Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in to elevate and expand a strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries. Areas of collaboration include artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced wireless (see press release here).
2022
Total weapons deliveries to India from the United States in fiscal year 2022 are reported to be over $564 million according to data compiled by the Security Assistance Monitor (see here).
On May 17, the United States announced a $500 million military aid package to India as part of an effort to reduce the country's reliance on Russia weapons (see media here).
On July 15, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a CAATSA sanctions waiver to India for purchase of S-400 missile defense system from Russia (see media here).
On April 26, Senate Foreign Relations chair Sen. Bob Menendez said " we need clarity on whether the Administration will waive CAATSA sanctions for India’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system..."
2021
On October 6, 2021, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman conveyed the Biden administration's frustration with India's pending S-400 purchase to reporters from The Hindu. Sherman called the purchase "dangerous and not in anybody's security interest," but insisted that India and the U.S. still had "a strong partnership" regardless. While it did not appear that the Biden administration would apply CAATSA sanctions on India, on October 26, U.S. Senators and India Caucus Co-Chairs Mark Warner (D, VA) and John Cornyn (R, TX) sent a letter to President Biden encouraging him to waive such sanctions. On October 29, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX.), Todd Young (R-IN.), and Roger Marshall (R-KS.) introduced the CRUCIAL Act, which, would shield India, Japan, and Australia as members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue from CAATSA sanctions.
On August 2, 2021, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of one Harpoon Joint Common Test Set (JCTS) for $82 million.
On April 30, 2021, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of six (6) P-8I Patrol aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.42 billion.
In March, Senate Foreign Relations chair Bob Menendez (D, NJ) expressed concern about possible Russian S-400 missile purchases by India.
2020
On Feb. 25, 2020, during a visit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, U.S. President Donald Trump announced $3 billion in arms agreements, saying they “will enhance our joint defense capabilities as our militaries continue to train and operate side by side.” The Trump administration notified Congress of nearly $7.9 billion in potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to New Delhi (2017-2020), including more than $150 million for missiles and torpedoes notified to Congress in April 2020.
Some members of Congress raised concerns about India’s actions in Kashmir and its treatment of Muslims. Senator Bernie Sanders (I, VT) criticized sales to the country in a tweet on February 24. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, NY) tweeted on March 2, “President Trump is engaging in arms deals with Modi while his administration is ethnically cleansing the country’s religious minorities. We must not enable this rise in sectarian violence.” In 2019, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), introduced legislation calling on India to remove restrictions on communications in Jammu and Kashmir, and to preserve religious freedom throughout the country. In 2020 (and 2021 and 2022), the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended listing India as a Country of Particular Concern.
In a July factsheet, the State Department indicated that it "is committed to further streamlining U.S.-India defense sales." Credible reporting indicated that U.S. changed its interpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to make drone exports easier with possible sales to India in mind. The factsheet notes that India was the first country outside the MTCR to have been offered such weapons, an anachronistic statement given that the sale had not yet occurred at the time of the factsheet's publication.
2019
Cross-border skirmishes between India and Pakistan involving weapons from a variety of countries, including the United States, drew international attention to the impact of the arms trade on the multi-decade India-Pakistan rivalry. In August, Moid's government escalated the conflict by revoking Kashmir's autonomous status, deploying military forces, and imposing an internet and phone service blackout in the territory.
2018
On May 30, Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced that U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) would be re-named U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) in recognition of "the increasing connectivity of the Indian and Pacific Oceans." The decision marks a shift in U.S. strategic thinking towards the "broader Asia" concept laid out by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his 2007 speech "Confluence of the Two Seas."
2017
After eight years of inactivity, senior officials from the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia met in Manila to hold talks that would lead to the revival of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the Quad), a military cooperation initiative formed in 2009 to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific.
2016
In the annual NDAA, India is designated a "Major Defense Partner," a status held exclusively by India. The designation expedites arms sales to India via two changes to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR): the first change established "a presumption of approval for export licensing" for India, while the second authorized India as a Verified End User (VEU) for "commercial and military exports."
2024
On October 7, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of fifty-three (53) MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedo all up rounds for an estimated cost of $175 million. (See also Sept. 21 joint factsheet with updates on defense cooperation.)
On August 23, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale AN/SSQ-53G High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys and related support for an estimated cost of $58.2 million.
On February 1, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of thirty-one (31) MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft; one hundred seventy (170) AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, three hundred ten (310) GBU-39B/B Laser Small Diameter Bombs (LSDB), and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.99 billion.
2023
On November 7, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin met with Minster of Defense Rajnath Singh to discuss expanding defense industrial cooperation, enhancing interoperability, and advancing innovation through the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), and participated in the fifth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue alongside Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar (see press release here).
On September 8, President Biden visited India for the G20 Summit, during which he notified the conclusion of negotiations for the manufacture of GE F-414 jet engines and a second Master Ship Repair Agreement, and welcomed the issuance of a Letter of Request to procure 31 MQ-9B (see press release here).
On June 23, Prime Minister Modi visited Washington DC for an official state visit, during which a statement was issued announcing agreements to manufacture in India GE F-414 jet engines and HAL Light Combat Aircraft Mk 2, as well as understandings and agreements on future defense cooperation, including the India-U.S Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) and procurement of UAVs (see press releases U.S., India).
On February 14, media outlets reported that a 2022 $2.2 billion dollar deal between India and Russia for MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI fighter jets has stalled (see media here).
On January 21, President Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in to elevate and expand a strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries. Areas of collaboration include artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and advanced wireless (see press release here).
2022
Total weapons deliveries to India from the United States in fiscal year 2022 are reported to be over $564 million according to data compiled by the Security Assistance Monitor (see here).
On May 17, the United States announced a $500 million military aid package to India as part of an effort to reduce the country's reliance on Russia weapons (see media here).
On July 15, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a CAATSA sanctions waiver to India for purchase of S-400 missile defense system from Russia (see media here).
On April 26, Senate Foreign Relations chair Sen. Bob Menendez said " we need clarity on whether the Administration will waive CAATSA sanctions for India’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system..."
2021
On October 6, 2021, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman conveyed the Biden administration's frustration with India's pending S-400 purchase to reporters from The Hindu. Sherman called the purchase "dangerous and not in anybody's security interest," but insisted that India and the U.S. still had "a strong partnership" regardless. While it did not appear that the Biden administration would apply CAATSA sanctions on India, on October 26, U.S. Senators and India Caucus Co-Chairs Mark Warner (D, VA) and John Cornyn (R, TX) sent a letter to President Biden encouraging him to waive such sanctions. On October 29, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX.), Todd Young (R-IN.), and Roger Marshall (R-KS.) introduced the CRUCIAL Act, which, would shield India, Japan, and Australia as members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue from CAATSA sanctions.
On August 2, 2021, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of one Harpoon Joint Common Test Set (JCTS) for $82 million.
On April 30, 2021, the Biden administration notified Congress of the potential sale of six (6) P-8I Patrol aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.42 billion.
In March, Senate Foreign Relations chair Bob Menendez (D, NJ) expressed concern about possible Russian S-400 missile purchases by India.
2020
On Feb. 25, 2020, during a visit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, U.S. President Donald Trump announced $3 billion in arms agreements, saying they “will enhance our joint defense capabilities as our militaries continue to train and operate side by side.” The Trump administration notified Congress of nearly $7.9 billion in potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to New Delhi (2017-2020), including more than $150 million for missiles and torpedoes notified to Congress in April 2020.
Some members of Congress raised concerns about India’s actions in Kashmir and its treatment of Muslims. Senator Bernie Sanders (I, VT) criticized sales to the country in a tweet on February 24. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, NY) tweeted on March 2, “President Trump is engaging in arms deals with Modi while his administration is ethnically cleansing the country’s religious minorities. We must not enable this rise in sectarian violence.” In 2019, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), introduced legislation calling on India to remove restrictions on communications in Jammu and Kashmir, and to preserve religious freedom throughout the country. In 2020 (and 2021 and 2022), the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended listing India as a Country of Particular Concern.
In a July factsheet, the State Department indicated that it "is committed to further streamlining U.S.-India defense sales." Credible reporting indicated that U.S. changed its interpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to make drone exports easier with possible sales to India in mind. The factsheet notes that India was the first country outside the MTCR to have been offered such weapons, an anachronistic statement given that the sale had not yet occurred at the time of the factsheet's publication.
2019
Cross-border skirmishes between India and Pakistan involving weapons from a variety of countries, including the United States, drew international attention to the impact of the arms trade on the multi-decade India-Pakistan rivalry. In August, Moid's government escalated the conflict by revoking Kashmir's autonomous status, deploying military forces, and imposing an internet and phone service blackout in the territory.
2018
On May 30, Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced that U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) would be re-named U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) in recognition of "the increasing connectivity of the Indian and Pacific Oceans." The decision marks a shift in U.S. strategic thinking towards the "broader Asia" concept laid out by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his 2007 speech "Confluence of the Two Seas."
2017
After eight years of inactivity, senior officials from the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia met in Manila to hold talks that would lead to the revival of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the Quad), a military cooperation initiative formed in 2009 to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific.
2016
In the annual NDAA, India is designated a "Major Defense Partner," a status held exclusively by India. The designation expedites arms sales to India via two changes to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR): the first change established "a presumption of approval for export licensing" for India, while the second authorized India as a Verified End User (VEU) for "commercial and military exports."
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) notifications *
- Biden administration:
- 2024
- October: MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes ($175 million)
- August: anti-submarine sonobouys (52.8 million)
- February: MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft ($3.99 billion)
- 2021
- August: Harpoon Joint Common Test Set (JCTS) ($82 million)
- April: P-8I and associated support ($2.42 billion)
- 2024
- Trump administration:
- 2020
- April: Harpoon missiles ($92 million); 16 x lightweight torpedoes ($63 million)
- February: air defense systems including radar systems and hundreds of missiles + 32 M4A1 rifles + 40,320 M855 5.56mm cartridges ($1.867 billion)
- 2019
- November: MK 45 5" naval guns + projectiles ($1.021 billion); C-17 support ($670 million)
- April: MH-60R helicopters + associated equipment ($2.6 billion)
- February: large aircraft self-protection suites ($190 million)
- 2018
- June: 12 Apache AH-64E helicopters + associated missiles, engines, and other equipment ($930 million - Direct Commerical Sale)
- 2017
- June: C-17 transport aircraft ($366.2 million)
- May: CBRN support ($75 million)
- 2020
Select Resources
White House & Executive Branch
Congress
Civil Society and Forum Resource Pages
Select Media Articles
White House & Executive Branch
- "Joint Fact Sheet: The United States and India Continue to Expand Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership," White House, September 21, 2024.
- “Fact Sheet: India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X),” Department of Defense, June 21, 2023
- "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act - Sanctions Programs and Country Information," Department of the Treasury.
- "The United States and India - Global Leadership in Action," White House, September 24, 2021.
- "Quad Leaders' Joint Statement: 'The Spirit of the Quad," White House, March 12, 2021.
- "Section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017," Department of State, last updated March 3, 2021.
- "U.S. Security Cooperation With India," Department of State, Fact Sheet, January 20, 2021.
- "Remarks to Members of the Press With Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India in New Delhi, India," White House, February 25, 2020.
- Human Rights Reports
- "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2020," State Department, March 30, 2021.
- "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2021: India," State Department, April 12, 2022.
- "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2022: India," State Department, March 20, 2023.
- Religious Freedom Reports
- "Annual Report 2020," United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, April 2020.
- "Annual Report 2021," United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, April 2021.
- "Annual Report 2022," United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, April 2022.
- "Annual Report 2023," United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, May 2023.
- State Department official International Religious Freedom Reports
- World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers annual reports (2017, 2018, & 2019), Department of State.
- "Joint Report to Congress: Enhancing Defense and Security Cooperation with India," Department of Defense & Department of State, July 2017.
- "Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi in Joint Press Statement," White House, June 26, 2017
- "Fact Sheet: U.S.-India Defense Cooperation," Obama White House.
- "Joint Statement Between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," White House, July 18, 2005.
Congress
- U.S.-India Arms Sales & Defense Cooperation
- “India Caucus Members Introduce Legislation to Fast-Track Weapons Sales to India,” US Congressman Andy Barr, June 22, 2023
- "Cornyn, Warner Urge Biden Administration to Waive CAATSA Sanctions Against India," October 26, 2021.
- "Menendez Urges Secretary Austin to Use Upcoming Trip to India to Discuss Democracy, Human Rights and Opposition to S-400 Missile System," March 17, 2021.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I, VT) via Twitter, February 24, 2020.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, NY-14) via Twitter, March 2, 2020.
- Human Rights in Modi's India
- H.Res.745 - Urging the Republic of India to end the restrictions on communications and mass detentions in Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents; sponsored by Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07) on December 6, 2019
- See also: "Jayapal Celebrates Kashmiri Dr. Mubeen Shah's Permanent Release, Calls on India to End All Arbitrary Detentions," December 9, 2019.
- "Human Rights in South Asia: Views from the State Department and the Region," Hearing before House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, October 22, 2019
- H.Res.745 - Urging the Republic of India to end the restrictions on communications and mass detentions in Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents; sponsored by Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07) on December 6, 2019
- Congressional Research Service
- “India-U.S.: Major Arms Transfers and Military Exercises,” Congressional Research Service, June 29, 2023
- "U.S.-India Relations," Congressional Research Service, July 19, 2021
- "India-Russia Relations and Implications for U.S. Interests," Congressional Research Service, August 24, 2022
Civil Society and Forum Resource Pages
- Antoine Levesques, “US–India defense and technology cooperation,” International Institute for Strategic Studies, July 20, 2023
- "Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2022," SIPRI, March 2023.
- "Continental Drift? India-Russia Ties After One Year of War in Ukraine." Stimson Center, March 9, 2023.
- "The Quad in the Indo-Pacific: What to Know," Council on Foreign Relations, May 27, 2021.
- "USA-India strategic continuity in the Biden administration transition," SIPRI, January 29, 2021.
- "Defining the Diamond: The Past, Present, and Future of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue," CSIS, March 16, 2020.
- Arms Sales Database, Security Assistance Monitor
- Notification Tracker and spreadsheet - Major arms sales notifications to the U.S. Congress via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Select Media Articles
- U.S.-India Arms Sales & Defense Cooperation
- “U.S. military deals not enough to wean India off Russian arms yet,” Reuters, July 10, 2023
- "Russia can’t meet India arms deliveries due to Ukraine war, Indian Air Force says," CNN, March 24, 2023.
- "Helping India Replace Russia in the Value Arms Market," War on the Rocks, May 20, 2022
- "US Seeks to Wean India From Russia Weapons With Arms-Aid Package," Bloomberg, May 17, 2022.
- "Democrats call out India for buying Russian oil and weapons," RollCall, April 26, 2022.
- "Why India's arms deals with Russia are about to become a headache for Biden," POLITICO, September 30, 2021.
- "Biden needs India to counter China, but it comes with a cost," POLITICO, September 23, 2021.
- "Pompeo Touts U.S.-India Defense Deal, With an Eye on China," Wall Street Journal, October 27, 2020.
- "In Wake of Recent India-China Conflict, U.S. Sees Opportunity," New York Times, October 3, 2020.
- "Trump Looks to Arms Sales to Deepen Ties With India," Foreign Policy, August 4, 2020.
- "More U.S.-India Arms Sales Could Follow $3.5 Billion Helicopter Deal," Forbes, February 26, 2020.
- "In symbolic nod to India, U.S. Pacific Command changes name," Reuters, May 30, 2018.
- "The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of the 'Quad'," War on the Rocks, November 16, 2017.
- Human Rights in Modi's India
- "Amid Flames and Gunfire, They Were Evicted From Where They Called Home," New York Times, October 17, 2021.
- "Technofascism in India," n+1, May 13, 2020.
- "India receives harshest rating from U.S. government watchdog in religious freedom report," Washington Post, April 28, 2020.
- "Kashmir, Under Siege and Lockdown, Faces a Mental Health Crisis," New York Times, April 26, 2020.
- "India Lobbies to Stifle Criticism, Control Messaging in U.S. Congress Amid Rising Anti-Muslim Violence," The Intercept, March 16, 2020.
- "US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez On Delhi Violence: 'Modi Ethnically Cleansing Religious Minorities," Huffington Post, March 3, 2020.