In January 2009, India signed a defence deal (P-8) with the US to have an edge in surveillance along its vast coastline, but now it is emerging that the agreement could actually subvert its defence autonomy. The US could now potentially interfere with India's freedom to decide how and when to use its weapons.
Headlines Today had first reported about the US and India quietly signing their biggest defence deal worth $2.1-billion for eight Boeing P-8 maritime hunter killer aircraft.
The Indian Navy desperately needed these aeroplanes for its enormous surveillance requirements over the Indian Ocean. But the deal ran into rough weather recently over Washington's end user verification requirements but the two countries weathered the political storm.
But navy sources told Headlines Today something far more sinister that lurks within the pages of contract and which could severely subvert India's defence autonomy.
The potentially explosive clause deals with what is called malicious code, in this case defined as any extra code injected into the software that governs the electronic systems on the aircraft in question "by a person having the unlawful intent to provide a capability to themselves or others to inhibit the desired function of the equipment".
India is technologically incapable of detecting, let alone eliminating the malicious code. So India's concern is what if the US injects the malicious code? Is it a ruse to spy on India's defence habits? Is India falling into an American trap?
The deal is over and done and there is little either country can actually do to change the terms of contract. As things stand, the US can potentially interfere with India's freedom to decide how and when to use its weapons and where to deploy.
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