US to assist India in building UAVs as part of $3.1 billion Predator drone deal

New Delhi: As part of a significant $3.1 billion deal, the United States has offered consultancy services to help India develop its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This agreement involves the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B Predator drone deal, which will enhance the surveillance capabilities of India’s Navy, Army, and Air Force, according to a report by ANI.

The Predator drone deal, under discussion for the past few years, will see the Indian Navy receiving 15 drones, while the Army and Air Force will each get 8. The proposal for consultancy services will be reviewed and potentially approved at the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting scheduled for Monday. This meeting will be the first under the Narendra Modi 3.0 government.

Predator Drone Deal to be Reviewed by Defence Acquisition Council

Sources indicate that the consultancy from the US is expected to significantly reduce the time required for India to develop advanced UAVs. The MQ-9B drones are planned to be stationed at various strategic locations. The Indian Navy will deploy these drones at INS Rajaji near Chennai and in Porbandar, Gujarat. The Army and Air Force will jointly base the drones at two air force stations in Sarsawa and Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, due to the drones’ requirement for long runways.

These deployments aim to enhance military surveillance capabilities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, spanning from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. The deployment is expected to strengthen India’s monitoring capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its land borders with China and Pakistan.

Officials from General Atomics, the American company responsible for the MQ-9B drones, have been in discussions with Indian representatives in recent weeks. Led by the Indian Navy, the negotiations involve multiple branches of the Indian military.

Predator Drone Deal

The American side has provided India with a letter of acceptance, quoting a price around $4 billion for the drones. The final price is expected to be negotiated down to approximately $3.1 billion.

The MQ-9B drone, requiring a long runway for takeoff, can fly for over 36 hours at altitudes above 40,000 feet. Equipped with Hellfire air-to-ground missiles and smart bombs, it is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. This fighter-sized drone has proven effective in monitoring activities over vast distances, such as 3,000 kilometers, particularly in anti-piracy operations.

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