US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI708

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MASS, IN, NSSP 
SUBJECT: INDIAN EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PAC-2 BRIEFING 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert O. Blake, Jr., for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1. (C) The classified briefing on the Patriot PAC-2 missile 
defense (MD) system, currently scheduled for February 22 or 
23, has generated a great deal of interest within the Indian 
government, with senior GOI officials hopeful that this will 
be the beginning of a broader MD relationship with the US. 
GOI officials who are expected to attend the briefing include 
MEA A/S Meera Shankar, MOD J/S Gautam Mukhopadhaya, as well 
as senior Army, Air Force, DRDO, and Acquisition reps.  We 
have also heard expressions of interest from the PMO -- 
although NSA Narayanan, unlike his predecessor Mani Dixit, 
has not yet pronounced himself in favor of the US-India MD 
relationship.  As the GOI is only in the initial stages of 
formulating its missile defense doctrine, government and 
military representatives at the meeting may raise policy 
questions about MD beyond the scope of the technical 
capabilities of the PAC-2.  Post welcomes the participation 
of senior USG officials who might be able to address such 
policy questions should they arise. 
 
2. (C) This PAC-2 briefing comes in the context of an 
underdeveloped military sales relationship that we are now 
seeking seriously to energize.  Getting a long sought-after 
breakthrough military sale -- whether a Patriot or any other 
major platform -- will be an uphill campaign.  In a recent 
interview in New Delhi's "National Review," Defense Minister 
Mukherjee summarized some of India's complaints about 
military procurements from the US, "We have problems buying 
arms from you because your laws are very strict.  At any 
point you may have to clamp sanctions on us."  In this 
context, we can not afford to be ambivalent in the message we 
send on the PAC-2 system, since any sign of US wavering will 
be seized on by those who remain skeptical of US reliability. 
 Key in this regard will be the US message that the PAC-2 
offer is a step toward PAC-3, which is what India ultimately 
hopes to purchase. 
MULFORD