New Delhi: The US on Thursday authorized the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India at an estimated price of USD 3.99 billion, an acquisition that may bolster India’s functionality to fulfill present and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation. The proposed mega drone deal was introduced in the course of the historic State Go to of Prime Minister Narendra Modi right here in June 2023.
“The State Division has made a willpower approving a potential Overseas Army Sale to the Authorities of India of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Plane and associated gear for an estimated price of USD 3.99 billion,” the Protection Safety Cooperation Company (DSCA) stated right here in an announcement. The Company stated it has delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this potential sale on Thursday.
“This proposed sale will help the overseas coverage and nationwide safety aims of america by serving to to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to enhance the safety of a serious defence associate, which continues to be an essential drive for political stability, peace, and financial progress within the Indo-Pacific and South Asia area,” the company stated.
“The proposed sale will enhance India’s functionality to fulfill present and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation,” it stated. India is procuring the long-endurance drones to bolster the surveillance capabilities of its armed forces, particularly alongside the Line of Precise Management (LAC) with China.
Below the deal, India will get 31 Excessive Altitude Lengthy Endurance (HALE) UAVs, of which the Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones, whereas the Military and the Indian Air Pressure will get eight every of the land model – SkyGuardian.
Applauding that India has demonstrated a dedication to modernising its navy, the DSCA stated, the South Asian nation can have no issue absorbing these articles and companies into its armed forces.
“The proposed sale of this gear and help won’t alter the essential navy stability within the area,” it stated and added, “There shall be no adversarial impression on US defence readiness because of this proposed sale.”
The principal contractor shall be Normal Atomics Aeronautical Methods.
Earlier on Wednesday, State Division Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, “Congress performs an essential function within the US arms switch course of. We routinely seek the advice of with members of Congress on the overseas affairs committees earlier than our formal notification so we will deal with questions that they may have, however I don’t have any touch upon when that formal notification would possibly happen.”
His feedback got here in response to a query on the timeline for the US Congressional approval in addition to a media report that stated Washington had blocked the drone sale to India till New Delhi carried out an intensive probe into an Indian hyperlink to the failed plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
American and Indian authorities officers have been holding a collection of negotiations on the proposed procurement after Washington responded to New Delhi’s Letter of Request for the acquisition of the drones from US defence main Normal Atomics.
The proposed procurement had additionally figured in US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin’s talks together with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in Delhi in November.
The Defence Acquisition Council headed by Singh on June 15 final 12 months accorded the Acceptance of Necessity or preliminary approval for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones from the US underneath the overseas navy sale route.
The SeaGuardian drones are being procured for the three companies as they’ll perform quite a lot of roles together with maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the-horizon concentrating on, amongst others.
The Excessive Altitude Lengthy Endurance (HALE) drones are able to remaining airborne for over 35 hours and may carry 4 Hellfire missiles and round 450 kgs of bombs.
In 2020, the Indian Navy had taken on lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones from Normal Atomics for one 12 months for surveillance within the Indian Ocean. The lease interval has been prolonged subsequently.
