India's defence deficit is America's gain

Days before senior Pentagon functionary Ashton Carter arrived in New Delhi earlier this week, the defence ministry cleared purchase of six C-130 J Super Hercules special operations aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The deal, worth around Rs 4,000 crore, might well be the first in the series of big contracts lined up to be signed with the US in the coming months. US deputy secretary of defence Ashton Carter was upbeat after his interactions with Indian security establishment as his visit had served the purpose of giving a much needed pus…