India seals $3 billion drone deal with US ahead of PM Modi’s visit

The defence ministry has authorised the procurement of US-made armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, sources instructed Reuters on Thursday. India will purchase 31 drones made by Common Atomics price barely over $3 billion, one of many sources stated. The ministry didn’t reply to a request for remark.

The ministry’s preliminary clearance for the procurement comes simply days earlier than Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for a state go to to the US subsequent week. 
 

Based on the 2 sources, the ministry’s apex physique for capital procurement met on Thursday to approve the deal, which is predicted to be introduced when Modi meets US. President Joe Biden subsequent week.

Biden has made deepening defence ties with India a precedence to counter China’s rising dominance, and has provided to collaborate on army know-how regardless that the 2 nations lack a proper safety alliance. The ministry’s “Acceptance of Necessity” is step one within the procurement course of, which now wants clearance from the Cupboard.

The US authorities authorised the sale of 30 drones to India greater than two years in the past, however the India had been sitting on the choice. Nevertheless, as soon as dates for Modi’s four-day US go to beginning June 21 have been finalised, the Biden administration began nudging India to indicate progress on the deal.

The drones will predominantly be utilized by the navy within the Indian Ocean Area. Each of India’s conventional adversaries, China and Pakistan, have refined air defence techniques that may restrict using the drones alongside India’s land borders. The Navy has leased two MQ-9B unarmed drones since November 2020 for surveillance.

US Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan completed his two-day go to to New Delhi on Wednesday, assembly his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, International Minister S Jaishankar and Modi.

 Per week earlier American Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin had spent two days in Delhi and introduced a joint highway map for defence trade cooperation, offering a lift to India’s ambitions of producing extra weapons throughout the nation. The US has been making an attempt to wean India away from its conventional arms dependence on Russia, its largest exporter of weapons for many years.