SOURCE: IDRW.ORG TEAM
India is inching closer to acquiring 31 MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from the United States. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved amendments to the deal with General Atomics.
These amendments, according to a defence source, are within the scope of the initial agreement and primarily focus on increasing indigenous content. The US has already completed its formalities, including delivering the Letter of Offer and Acceptance to India in early March. India is now in the final stages of the procurement process before the deal is signed by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
With the Quad Leaders Summit scheduled for December in India, there is optimism that both the MQ-9B drone deal and the GE-414 jet engine deal will be finalized during US President’s visit.
The proposed acquisition of 31 MQ-9B UAVs, comprising 15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and eight Sky Guardians each for the Army and Air Force, is estimated to cost $3.99 billion. As part of the deal, General Atomics will set up a Global Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India, fulfilling offset obligations.
This acquisition is expected to significantly enhance India’s surveillance capabilities, particularly in the Indian Ocean region and along the high-altitude borders.
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