NEW DELHI: India and the US on Tuesday finalised a deal for procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones for the three Services, worth Rs 34,500 crore. The Ministry of Defence inked the deal with the United States’ equipment manufacturer General Atomics.
The deal is being executed under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement between the two countries. Of the total of 31 (15 Sky Guardian and 16 Sea Guardian), 16 have been earmarked for the Indian Navy, eight each for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
It was on October 10 that India’s Cabinet Committee on Security gave the final nod, along with the go-ahead for Nuclear propelled hunter submarine project.
The Sea Guardian are the maritime version of the MQ-9B Predator drones and the other version is the “Sky Guardian.” The MQ-9Bs are high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), capable of carrying both surveillance and precision strike missions, in addition to other tasks. These drones are expected to be inducted into the forces over a period of four years.
As per the agreement, confirmed the sources, General Atomics will also establish a Comprehensive Global MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) facility in India to support the country's long-term goals of indigenous production. The MQ-9Bs can loiter up to 50,000 ft, remain airborne for over 35 hours and carry four Hellfire missiles besides around 450 kg of other bombs.
Countries that operate MQ-9Bs are Japan, Belgium, the UK and the US.
In an earlier report the TNIE explained the use of drones like MQ-9B and the overall aspects of this technology.
The formal process to purchase it began with the Defence Acquisition Council on June 15, 2023, clearing the Acceptance of Necessity of 31 MQ-9Bs for the tri-services through the Foreign Military Sale route.
The affordability and utility of drones have made them a platform of choice even for non-state actors. The induction of these systems would be significant for the Indian Navy’s surveillance capability over the Indian Ocean region (IOR), where China is assertive. These also have the surveillance role along the land frontiers, including that of the Northern Borders with China.
India’s UAV requirements at present are mostly met from imports of the Heron I, the Searcher Mk II and the Harop loitering munition from Israel. They have been deployed to monitor activities along the volatile borders with China and Pakistan.