India seals $4-bn agreement with US for Predator drones

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with the US government to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from General Atomics. These High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, capable of operating over both land and sea, are used by the US military for precision strikes.

The total deal, valued at approximately $4 billion (Rs 34,500 crore), includes provisions for logistics support and the establishment of maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities in India. Delivery of the drones will begin over the next four years.

Of the 31 drones, the Indian Navy will receive 15, while the Army and Indian Air Force will get eight each. The MQ-9B drones can operate for up to 40 hours and will be equipped with precision missiles capable of hitting targets on land, at sea, or in the air. They will also provide real-time surveillance through imagery and video feeds.

The contract was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on October 9 under the Foreign Military Sales agreement between India and the US.

The procurement of the drones was finalised just weeks ahead of the US presidential elections. The MQ-9B drone is a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper” which was used to launch a modified version of the Hellfire missile that eliminated al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in the heart of Kabul in July 2022.

While the Navy will get 15 Sea Guardian drones, the Indian Air Force and the Army will get eight Sky Guardian drones each. The high-altitude long-endurance drones are capable of remaining airborne for over 35 hours and can carry four Hellfire missiles and around 450 kgs of bombs. The Sea Guardian drones are being procured as they can carry out a variety of roles including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the-horizon targeting, among others.

The India-US defence cooperation has been on an upswing in the last few years.

In June 2016, the US designated India a "Major Defence Partner" paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology.

The two countries have also inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India. In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) to further boost bilateral defence ties. (With PTI inputs)