Without CISMOA, The Indian Navy Works The P-8I

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WASHINGTON D.C. / July 25: By now, it seems pretty clear that military interoperability agreements like the Communications Interoperability & Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) are on ice as far as Indo-US relations are concerned. I’ve posted quite a bit in the last two years about the equipment and kit that the US government is constrained to withhold from India as a result of Delhi’s resistance to entering into a CISMOA with Washington. This has typically included encrypted voice, IFF and advanced secret communication equipment, all administered by one US armed service or the other. So far, even though the Indian military has said the lack of equipment protected by agreements like CISMOA, didn’t make the platforms contracted any less capable or effective, there was no real sense about how the military was actually filling those gaps. Let’s be clear: those were gaps, despite what certain military chiefs said.

Well, that’s where the slide above comes into play — it was in a presentation that Boeing made today to a group of us visting journalists in Washington. It illustrates just how the Indian Navy has plugged the CISMOA-induced gaps on the American platform — notably, speech secrecy kit by India’s state-owned Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), IFF interrogator and transponder by BEL and HAL respectively, mobile satellite system by Avantel and fingerprinting kit by BEL. All very interesting.

The gear on the P-8 platform that was held off as a result of the absence of a CISMOA, are understood to include a Raytheon IFF transponder (Mode IV Crypto), SINCGARS radio, TACTERM/ADVT secure voice (HF) terminals and Rockwell-Collins SATCOM transceivers.

(Am in Philadelphia now. Visiting the rotorcraft systems facility tomorrow where the CH-47 Chinook is built and Boeing’s part of the V-22 Osprey is done. Also, by the way, I happen to be live-tweeting interesting stuff from this tour.)

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17 thoughts on “Without CISMOA, The Indian Navy Works The P-8I”

  1. Anonymous

    Shiv,
    How do the indian equipments fare compared with the US ones ? More like what are the compromises india had to make in not accepting CISMOA equipments, e.g. the level and the strength of encryption etc ..?

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    I ask again why do need the CISMOA ? what does it bring to the table ? So, Pakis can overtly divert their arms meant for War On Terror gifted by U.S. at friendship prices to push terror against India, and we pay top dollar and are being obliged (read as pressured) to sign LSA & CISMOA ? Why ?

    Reply
  4. Praetorian

    In other words, we have got a hyped up 737 at the price of several 747s. We have just got a shell. We might as well have purchased a 737 and installed these equipments at a fraction of the cost of P-8I.

    Reply
  5. Anonymous

    Was just wondering as to what would be the indigenous versus imported content (of components) in the equipment being supplied by Indian public and private industry ..!!! Like you mentioned all very interesting..!!!

    Reply
  8. Anonymous

    I am frankly surprised that you did not know about this!

    It has been publicly known for a long time, that as part of the offsets, Indian companies will provide features to the aircraft.

    BEL will be providing the comm equipment. why? simple. IN's data-links are developed by BEL. Why would India then bother about Link-16?

    Media should do more in depth research before jumping on to conclusions.

    Reply
  10. Anonymous

    Remember all this is designed by our DRDO and its establishment. They are known for excellence in innovation, cutting edge technology, timely project management and execution. Just think Tejas, Arjun…..

    Reply
  13. Anonymous

    Well, all the comments in regards to the plane being a hollow shell, etc have no idea what they are talking off. And there are quite a few.
    I can only assume that the Indian equipment will be the minimum as most equipment specifications are generally tailored to the enemy.
    The CISMOA, etc are rules & laws that favor the US. And unlike India which has a known apprehension for the US, all or most of the countries that purchase from them, SIGN IT.

    Reply
  15. Anonymous

    @754
    and unlike most of them ….India might have to fight an ally the US is vitally dependent on…so much so that they keep paying them money to not attack US!!

    Reply
  16. Anonymous

    shiv, what will signing CISMOA entail?
    what are the terms and conditions that we will hav to adhere to?

    Reply

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