The US-India Business Council (USIBC), a business advocacy group representing some 400 top US companies, has hailed India’s decision to purchase 10 Boeing C-17 aircraft, valued at more than $4.1 billion.

“This is testament to India’s appreciation of US technology and confidence in the United States as a long-term defence sales partner,” said USIBC President Ron Somers noting that the purchase would make the Indian Air Force the owner and operator of the largest fleet of C-17s outside of the US. “US defence sales to India began only a decade ago, at a value of less than $200 million for radar equipment. We have come a long way since then,” Somers said noting “US-India defence sales today have now crossed the $9 billion mark and continue to grow.”