New Delhi, Oct 15 – India has signed a major agreement with the United States to procure 31 Predator long-endurance drones from the American defense firm General Atomics. The deal, valued at nearly USD 4 billion, was finalized on Tuesday under the foreign military sales route. This move is set to enhance India’s military capabilities, particularly along its contested borders with China.
The signing ceremony took place in New Delhi, in the presence of top defense and strategic leaders of India, signaling a notable strengthening of military ties between the two countries, according to officials. The procurement was confirmed just weeks before the upcoming US presidential elections.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the acquisition of the MQ-9B ‘hunter killer’ drones last week. Vivek Lall, the Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation, who was instrumental in the negotiations, attended the ceremony.
India is acquiring these drones to significantly enhance the surveillance capabilities of its armed forces, especially along the disputed frontier with China. The MQ-9B drone is a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper,” known for its role in launching the Hellfire missile that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul in 2022.
Out of the 31 drones, the Indian Navy will receive 15 Sea Guardian drones, while the Indian Air Force and Army will each be allocated eight Sky Guardian drones. These high-altitude, long-endurance drones can remain airborne for over 35 hours and are equipped to carry four Hellfire missiles and approximately 450 kilograms of bombs.
The Sea Guardian drones are particularly valuable due to their versatile roles, which include maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and over-the-horizon targeting.
