How UK and Argentina's differences on Falkland Islands impact India-Buenos Aires defence ties

India and Argentina, two diverse nations geographically separated by vast oceans, have found common ground in bolstering their defence relations. Over the years, these countries have witnessed a gradual evolution in their ties, with the involvement of a significant player – the United Kingdom. This trilateral dynamic has once again hit the headlines in India after news reports mentioning the possibility of a defence deal on LCA Tejas between India and Argentina became public.

Historical Context of India-Argentina ties

India and Argentina established diplomatic ties in 1948, but it was only in recent decades that they started exploring avenues for deeper cooperation in defence. Both nations share a commitment to democracy, multilateralism and international peacekeeping, which laid the foundation for their defence collaboration. However, historical factors have influenced their relations including the British colonial legacy that directly impacted both the countries.

The United Kingdom’s historical role in India and Argentina has significantly influenced their defence relations. For India, the colonial period under British rule resulted in a complex relationship that has had implications on its security and foreign policy approach. The colonial past instilled a sense of self-reliance and strategic autonomy leading India to prioritise partnerships based on mutual interests rather than being heavily influenced by historical ties.

Similarly, Argentina’s historical experience with Britain also plays a part in shaping its defence relations with India. The Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina in the early 1980s created tensions that affected regional dynamics and security perceptions. Argentina lost the Falklands War to the UK and bilateral relations have been tense since then.

Today, the islands are virtually controlled by the UK – the defence policy and foreign affairs of Falklands are still managed by the British (as an overseas territory), while in matters of internal governance, a separate autonomous system exists. But Argentina hasn’t yet backed off from its claims to the islands and uses the name Las Malvinas to describe them. So, technically the UK and Argentina are still in conflict over ownership of these islands. This has prevented the normalisation of ties between the two nations. Also, since the UK has a conventional and un-conventional advantage over Argentina, the possibility of another war has been virtually ruled out by observers of foreign policy. Therein stems the Argentinian’s desire to diversify its international partnerships that encourages it to seek collaborations with countries like India.

How Does It Affect India – Argentina Defence Relations:

In recent years, India and Argentina have actively sought to deepen their defence cooperation. One significant area of collaboration is military training and capacity building. India, with its well-established defence industry and expertise, has been providing training opportunities to Argentine military personnel, contributing to Argentina’s efforts in enhancing its military capabilities. Additionally, joint military exercises and defence dialogues between India and Argentina have become more frequent, enabling both nations to exchange knowledge, tactics, and best practices in various fields of defence. The bilateral defence trade between India and Argentina has also seen a positive trajectory. India is emerging as a significant exporter of defence equipment and technology, while Argentina has sought to modernize its armed forces by acquiring advanced weaponry and equipment from India. The defence trade will not only strengthen their bilateral relations but also foster mutual trust and confidence.

Both India and Argentina actively participate in various multilateral forums and organisations, such as the United Nations peacekeeping operations. Their shared commitment to global peace and security has facilitated closer coordination in international platforms, strengthening their strategic partnership.

While doing so, India has taken care of not antagonising the British at any cost since India-UK defence relations are more important for India. But the current discussions on the possible sale of the LCA Tejas fighter jet manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), to Argentina has propped up some tensions.

It is well known that though this jet is largely indigenous but an important component of the jet – its ejection seat, is still foreign made. The LCA Tejas uses the ejection seat manufactured by Martin Baker, a defence company headquartered in the UK. And this precisely is the root cause of the current tensions. As per British laws and the agreements signed between India and Britain, India cannot export any defence equipment that has British components, to any third party without the permission of the British government. Also, in this particular case, the UK has imposed an embargo on any arms sales to Argentina.

So, there’s no way the UK would allow India to sell the LCA with the Martin Baker ejection seat onboard. These seats are a high-quality equipment as they are used to safely fly out the pilots out of the cockpit in case of any emergency. The ejection seat market globally, is dominated by a few companies that have mastered this technology and thus have established a huge monopoly. It must be mentioned here that most countries prefer using the Martin Baker ejection seats rather than developing one of their own, due to its affordable costs and proven technology. All fighter jets of the Indian Airforce also mostly use the ejection seats manufactured by Martin Baker, which supplies them to more than 90 countries globally. No company/country would ever sell such an important technology to any other entity, especially if it has inimical relations with the buyer.

The Argentinian authorities are also reported to have informed the HAL about their inability to go ahead with the LCA deal if an alternative is not found for the ejection seat. The HAL is reported to have responded positively to this request and Indian authorities are now on the lookout for an alternative ejection seat. It must be mentioned here that other than the ejection seat, the LCA Tejas uses around 15 other components like the nose-cone and radome which have British origins. To replace all of them with other substitutes would be costly and Argentina would have to shell out extra money to bear these increased costs. At present the estimated cost of the export variant of the LCA Tejas is estimated to be around $30-34 million which will further increase if the HAL replaces all the 16 British components.

On its side, keeping a long-term view, the Indian government had decided in 2022 to gradually phase out all the British parts used in the LCA Tejas in a phased manner. But that would take a good amount of time, resources and money. On the other hand if the LCA deal goes through successfully, it would serve as a big boost to India’s emerging defence industry and put a hallmark on the high quality and affordable costs of Made-in-India defence products.

But while doing so, India will have to navigate its way through the complex geopolitical challenges tactfully. While Argentina may be an important prospective customer, the UK has been a reliable defence partner for India, a factor that will continue to shape any strategic deal between India and Argentina till the time both these nations resolve their bilateral issues.

Conclusion:

India and Argentina’s defence relations have come a long way since the establishment of diplomatic ties. Their mutual interests, shared commitment to democracy and multilateralism, and the desire to bolster regional and global security have served as the driving forces behind their strengthening ties. The UK’s historical presence has influenced their bilateral relations to some extent, but both countries have exhibited pragmatism in charting their individual paths.

As India and Argentina continue to deepen their defence cooperation, they are setting an example of how two nations with different historical backgrounds and geographical locations can build meaningful partnerships based on shared values and interests. In an increasingly interconnected world, their dynamic triangular defence relations hold the potential to contribute significantly to regional and global security. In the coming decades, it will be a test of India’s ability to adapt and evolve its defence and foreign policies according to the situational demands, that would eventually determine its standing and posture in the international arena.

The author is a PhD Research Scholar, Special Centre for National Security Studies, JNU. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.

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