The US on Thursday approved the sale of 31 armed MQ-9B drones to India at an estimated cost of $3.99 billion. The proposed mega drone deal was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic state visit in June 2023.
As part of the deal, India will get 31 HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) drones, of which the Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones, while the Army and Indian Air Force will get eight each of the land-based SkyGuardian version.
The completion of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional US Government or supplier representatives to India.
The US State Department has made a decision approving a possible foreign military sale to the Indian government of MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft and related equipment at an estimated cost of US$3.99 billion, the US Department of Defense (US DOD) said.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship and enhance the security of a major defense partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia, the press release said.
The proposed sale will improve India’s ability to counter current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes. India has demonstrated a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty in absorbing these items and services into its armed forces, she added.
The prime contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Poway, CA. The buyer usually demands compensation. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the buyer and the contractor.
