In a significant step towards bolstering its domestic defense manufacturing capabilities, India has secured a commitment from General Atomics to increase the indigenous content in the MQ-9B High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) it is set to acquire.
The indigenous content will be raised from an initial 7-8% to a substantial 16-20%, following discussions between the Indian Ministry of Defence and the US manufacturer.
This development comes as India is in the process of procuring 31 MQ-9B UAVs for its tri-services, a deal estimated to be worth over $3 billion.
General Atomics has already forged a partnership with Bharat Forge Limited to produce critical components such as main landing gear assemblies for the UAVs. The company is actively seeking further collaboration with Indian firms to source additional components.
This near doubling of indigenous content marks a significant stride forward, signaling that more crucial parts of the MQ-9B UAVs will be manufactured within India. This will not only create employment opportunities but also provide a substantial boost to the growth of the country's aerospace industry.
Furthermore, General Atomics has offered to provide consultancy services to India's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) for its planned HALE UAV program. This collaboration is expected to facilitate the transfer of technology and expertise, empowering India to develop its own indigenous HALE UAV capabilities in the future.
