NEW DELHI: Signalling that the US is keen to strengthen ties with India, US President Joe Biden highlighted the progress in India’s procurement of 31 long-endurance MQ-9B armed drones from American defence major General Atomics and also referred to the setting up of a semiconductor plant in Kolkata, West Bengal.
During his interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he held wide-ranging talks covering various key aspects of India-US ties including ways to further ramp up bilateral defence and military engagement.
It may be recalled that the US had approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B drones to Indian military for around $4 billion in February. Out of these, 16 are for the Indian Air Force and 15 for the Navy. The salient feature of the drones is that these can operate in pin-drop silence and fly as close as 250 metres from the ground. According to reports, some more small details are to be worked out and both sides are likely to formally conclude the deal by next month.
As for the semiconductor fabrication plant in Kolkata, both Modi and Biden hailed it as a watershed arrangement.
“The plant will be established with support from India Semiconductor Mission as well as strategic technology partnership between Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech and US Space force,’’ the White House said in a statement.
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