2006年VOA标准英语-Global Arms Makers Hawk Their Wares in Ind

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
05 February 2006
 

Lockheed Martin executive, second right, explains the working of surveillance aircraft Hawkeye 2000 to Indian Defense¹ Minister Pranab Mukherjee, right, during the Defense Expo 2006, in New Delhi  
  
Some of the world's leading weapons manufacturers have participated in a defense exhibition in India. The companies are eager for a share of a major market - India is one of the world's biggest importers of arms.

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More than 400 companies from 38 countries, including Britain, France, the United States, Israel, South Africa and Russia, showcased their wares² at a four-day defense show held in the Indian capital over the past several days. Taking part were leading manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Rolls Royce.

The companies are eyeing India's massive defense budget, which has been rising steadily³ as the country modernizes⁴ its outdated⁵ hardware. In 2004 India was the developing world's leading buyer of conventional weapons, spending nearly $6 billion on arms purchases.

Rahul Bedi of Jane's Defense Weekly says over the next two to three years India will spend billions of dollars more on an array of defense equipment ranging from fighter jets to missile production systems.

"It is looking at acquiring 126 multi-role aircraft, which is a contract worth anywhere between $7 and $9 billion; it is looking to buy submarines from Russia; it is looking to buy artillery⁶ from various competitive sources…; it is looking to buy a range of equipment in all the three services; so it is really poised⁷ for a huge explosion," said Bedi.

Much of Indian defense hardware still comes from Russia - a traditional arms supplier to New Delhi since the days of the Cold War.

But Israel has been catching⁸ up rapidly, almost doubling its market share in the last three years with sales worth nearly $3 billion. France and Britain have also made steady inroads into the Indian defense market.

U.S. manufacturers were well represented at the New Delhi exhibition. Defense experts say aviation companies Lockheed Martin and Boeing are vying⁹ for a massive contract for combat aircraft.

Rahul Bedi says the American share of the Indian market has been small so far, but that could change as relations between the two countries improve steadily.

"There is an inherent mistrust of buying equipment from the U.S. because of the possibility of sanctions being imposed in case it contravenes¹⁰ American law… But the Americans and Indians are working on this trust deficit¹¹, and they are trying to develop a relationship, because by 2015 the American arms industry wants about 15 to 20 percent of basic Indian military hardware to be of American origin, and they are pushing very aggressively into the Indian market," added Bedi.

India is also inviting¹² foreign defense companies to form joint¹³ ventures in the country. Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee told exhibition participants that India wants to manufacture state-of-the-art defense equipment in collaboration¹⁴ with overseas companies both to export and to supply the Indian armed forces.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 wares   

n. 货物, 商品

参考例句：

• They sold their wares at half-price. 他们的货品是半价出售的。
• The peddler was crying up his wares. 小贩极力夸耀自己的货物。

3 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

4 modernizes   

现代化事物( modernize的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It modernizes the game while lowering the learning curve for newer players. 它让游戏更为现代化，降低了对新手的入门要求。
• In time to come, as a society modernizes, people's rights and responsibilities should be balanced. 从发展的角度看，一个社会越是具有现代性，它的公民的权利和义务就越是平衡。

5 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

6 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

7 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

8 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

9 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

10 contravenes   

v.取消，违反( contravene的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• This fence contravenes our common right to pasturage. 这道栅栏侵害了我们牧场的共有权。 来自辞典例句
• This evidence contravenes our theory. 这个证据跟我们的理论不相符。 来自辞典例句

11 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

12 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

13 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

14 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。