India is in “advanced stages” of talks with the US to purchase 30 MQ-9B Predator armed drones for over USD 3 billion to crank up its surveillance mechanism within the Indian Ocean area together with China, individuals who Events are acquainted mentioned on Sunday.
The MQ-9B drone is a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper”, which was used to launch a modified model of the Hellfire missile that killed al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in the midst of Kabul final month. Had given.
Official sources within the protection institution mentioned talks are underway between New Delhi and Washington for government-to-government purchases of generic nuclear-built drones, and dismissed reviews that the deal is off the desk.
General Atomics Global Corporation chief government Dr Vivek Lal informed PTI that the acquisition program is within the last phases of talks between the 2 governments.
“We understand that the MQ-9B acquisition program is at an advanced stage of discussion between the US and Indian governments,” he mentioned.
“Any questions on those discussions should be addressed specifically to the governments concerned. From a company perspective, General Atomics stands ready to support India and values our longstanding relationship,” Lal mentioned.
Predator-killer drones are being procured for the three companies as they’ll carry out a wide range of roles together with maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the-horizon concentrating on.
The High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) drones are able to being within the air for greater than 35 hours and may carry 4 Hellfire missiles and about 450 kg of warheads.
The MQ-9B has two variants, the SkyGuardian and its sibling SeaGuardian.
Sources mentioned the talks are targeted on resolving sure points associated to price, weapons bundle and expertise sharing.
It is discovered that the acquisition supply got here up in April on the fourth two-plus-two international and protection ministerial dialogue between India and the US in Washington.
In 2020, the Indian Navy leased two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones from General Atomics for a yr for surveillance within the Indian Ocean. Later the lease interval has been prolonged.
The Indian Navy is strengthening its surveillance system to observe escalating Chinese actions, together with frequent assaults by PLA warships within the Indian Ocean area.
When requested concerning the two drones, Lal mentioned they carried out “very well” and flew shut to three,000 hours in assist of the Indian Navy’s maritime and land border patrol targets.
“General Atomics has supported India by providing two MQ-9 remotely operated aircraft over the past three years as part of a Company Owned/Company Operated (COCO) Lease Agreement,” he mentioned.
“In the last six months, nearly 3,000 hours have been flown in support of the Indian Navy’s maritime and land border patrol objectives, covering an operational area of 14 million square miles,” he mentioned.
“Our Indian customers have been impressed by the MQ-9’s over-the-horizon ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) support for surface units and Indian warships as well as the platform’s exceptional stamina and operational availability,” the highest government added. .
According to General Atomics, the MQ-9B are designed not solely to satisfy NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) requirements, but in addition to adjust to civilian airspace necessities within the US and world wide. .
The Indian armed forces are specializing in procuring unmanned platforms, together with armed drones, to observe the actions of Chinese warships within the Indian Ocean area within the backdrop of the jap Ladakh border standoff with China.
The procurement proposal has been moved by the Indian Navy and the three companies are prone to get 10 drones every.
The drone is the primary hunter-killer unmanned aerial automobile (UAV) designed for long-endurance and high-altitude surveillance.
The MQ-9B has built-in alerts intelligence and communications intelligence programs onboard, however it may carry any variety of different customized sensors as wanted.
In 2019, the US authorized the sale of armed drones to India and even provided built-in air and missile protection programs.
The Indian Navy is pushing for procurement to spice up its general surveillance over the Indian Ocean, an space that has seen growing aggression by Chinese ships and submarines up to now few years.
In February 2020, India signed a USD 2.6 billion take care of the US for the acquisition of 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from US aerospace main Lockheed Martin for the Indian Navy. The deliveries of the helicopters have already began.
Following the jap Ladakh standoff, India has considerably elevated its day and night time surveillance alongside the Line of Actual Control (LAC) utilizing a fleet of remotely operated plane.
India-US protection ties have strengthened over time.
In June 2016, the US designated India a ‘main protection associate’, paving the way in which for sharing of crucial navy gear and expertise.
The two international locations have additionally signed vital protection and safety agreements over time, together with a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 to permit their forces to make use of one another’s bases to restore and replenish provides. permits for.
The two sides signed the COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018, which supplies for interoperability between the 2 armies and supplies for the sale of excessive expertise from the US to India.
In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) settlement to additional increase bilateral protection ties.
The settlement supplies for sharing of high-end navy expertise, logistics and geospatial maps between the 2 international locations.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
