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India is close to finalizing a major defense deal with the United States for the acquisition of 31 weaponized MQ-9B Predator drones. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) is in the process of completing a financial draft note for the finance ministry before presenting it to the Prime Minister-led cabinet committee on security for final approval.
The contract for this government-to-government deal, initially quoted by the US at $3.9 billion (over Rs 33,500 crore), is expected to be signed in mid-October. This development comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US for the Quad leaders' summit on September 21st.
The deal involves the assembly of these 31 remotely-piloted aircraft in India, with drone manufacturer General Atomics investing in the country and sourcing over 30 percent of the components from Indian companies.
Though the deal does not include a direct transfer of technology, General Atomics will provide expertise to DRDO and others to aid in the indigenous development of similar high-altitude, long-endurance drones.
Under the plan, 15 Sea Guardian drones will be allocated to the Navy, while the Army and Air Force will each receive 8 Sky Guardian drones. These MQ-9B drones, with a flight endurance of nearly 40 hours at altitudes exceeding 40,000 feet, will be equipped with a range of weaponry, including 170 Hellfire missiles, 310 GBU-39B precision-guided bombs, and indigenous weapons like the naval short-range anti-ship missiles being developed by DRDO.
The primary role of these drones will be long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, as well as anti-warship and anti-submarine operations. This capability is considered crucial in light of the increasing presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean Region.
