The US has approved plans to help India set up factories to produce Stryker combat vehicles, making India the first country in the world to manufacture these vehicles.

At the same time, India and the US have also announced a partnership to produce sonobuoys, which are used to track submarines underwater. US company Ultra Maritime and India's Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) will work together to make these sonobuoys in India. For the project, the Indian Defence Ministry has suggested a three-phase plan. The collaborative production will take place in India following the limited off-the-shelf acquisition of Strykers via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. Additionally, this would open the door for the creation of futuristic armoured vehicles. The armoured vehicles, which are made in India, are anticipated to be shipped to third-world nations. “So many of these initiatives have the potential to extend beyond the United States and India, to eventually help countries across the Indo-Pacific region upgrade their defensive capabilities as well,” Sullivan said in a statement.

The fabrication and final assembly of the Stryker, an 8-wheel-drive combat vehicle developed by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada for the US, have been divided between plants in Anniston, Alabama, Lima, Ohio, and London, Ontario. The US has been strongly encouraging India to buy this armoured vehicle, which is powered by a 350-horsepower Caterpillar C7 engine. It has a range of 483 kilometres and can reach a top speed of 100 km/h. The Strykers are equipped with bolt-on ceramic armour for extra protection and are capable of withstanding improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These vehicles can be transported using Chinook helicopters, which the Indian Air Force already operates.

The Indian Army plans to purchase the Strykers primarily for use in areas near the China border, such as Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim, where they will be deployed in high-altitude regions. The Army aims to modernise its fleet of Russian-made BMP-II vehicles and replace them with new, more advanced Infantry Combat Vehicles, both wheeled and tracked. The Stryker comes in several versions, including Infantry Carrier Vehicles, Mobile Gun Systems, medical evacuation vehicles, fire support vehicles, anti-tank guided missile carriers and reconnaissance vehicles.

Trucks or the Indian Air Force's existing fleet of C-17 and C-130 planes can be used to transport Stryker on the ground. There is enough for four Strykers on the C-17 airplane. Up to 1,000 miles and a maximum weight of 38,000 lbs can be safely carried by the C-130H. The Stryker's size and weight of 36,240 pounds fall inside the C-130H's payload capacity. In isolated areas, the C-130 may operate from tiny airfields. Disembarking from the C-130 in combat-ready condition is possible for all Stryker configurations.

The Stryker armoured vehicle made its debut during Operation Iraqi Freedom II, 20 years ago. The 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (now known as the 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team) earned the nickname "Ghost Soldiers" during this operation. The Ghost Brigade was the first unit to use the Stryker. The vehicle protected its occupants from conventional weapons like rocket-propelled grenades. However, after Saddam Hussein's army was defeated, the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) increased. In one such large IED attack in Iraq, the Stryker was badly damaged, but the crew inside was unharmed. It gained the reputation that "not only could these trucks bring you to the fight, but they could bring you home" among the United States military.

Over 4,900 Strykers have joined active duty since its launch in 2002, with the majority joining the Army. Since its inception, the Stryker family of vehicles has participated in every significant armed war in which the U.S. Army has fought, mostly due to their portability and ease of operation. Strykers that were sent to the Ukrainian military have aided that nation in its conflict with Russia, and soldiers have used them both off-road and on-road in Iraq and Afghanistan. "This will be through a first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production of US sonobuoys in support of the US and Indian defence industrial bases," said a White House statement highlighting the sonobuoy manufacturing partnership.

Ultra Maritime CEO Carlo Zaffanella said, “The announcement today by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reflects Ultra Maritime’s commitment to the Indian Navy in partnering with Bharat Dynamics Limited for production and delivery of world-class sonobuoys and our resolute commitment to continue to develop forward-leaning solutions to unique undersea challenges.” In 2024, the US Secretary of State approved a possible sale of anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys to India, valued at approximately $52.8 million. India has requested to buy AN/SSQ-53G, AN/SSQ-62F, and AN/SSQ-36 high-altitude sonobuoys. Along with the sonobuoys, India has also asked for engineering support, technical assistance, and other logistical help.

These high-altitude sonobuoys are designed for use with P-8I aircraft, which can release them from the air. Once deployed, the sonobuoys open up underwater like an umbrella. They are equipped with signal processing units that detect underwater signals and transmit them through an attached radio frequency (RF) link. Without high-altitude sonobuoys, the aircraft must descend to drop them to avoid damaging them. Sonobuoys are devices that enhance underwater sounds. They help determine the target's location by providing both distance and direction. They also measure how seawater temperature affects sonar signals and predict how far the sonar can reach. Sonobuoys can be launched from helicopters, aeroplanes and ships. The Indian Navy just purchased MH-60 R helicopters from the United States, and these sonobuoys will be integrated with them. All of the helicopters should be delivered by 2025, with the first squadron being raised in March 2024.