Defence Ministry To Take Up Deal To Acquire MQ-9 Reaper Armed Drones From US Today

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming trip to the United States, Ministry of Defence officials said on Thursday that the Defence Acquisition Council meeting led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will take up the deal for acquiring MQ-9B Reaper armed drones from the US during a meeting at 10 am.

"Top Defence ministry and military brass will attend the meeting. Other 'Made in India' defence deals also on the agenda of the meeting," the official was quoted by ANI as saying.

Ahead of PM Modi's upcoming visit to the US, the eagerly anticipated procurement of 30 MQ-9B Predator armed drones, valued at over $3 billion, is highly awaited. According to sources quoted by the Times of India, the acquisition of these drones holds great importance as the Indian government intends to bolster its surveillance capabilities along the China border and in the Indian Ocean region.

According to defence sources, the acquisition of MQ-9 drones is set to be discussed during an important high-level meeting. Initially, there were plans to reduce the number of drones from 30 to 18 or even fewer, ANI reported.

However, the latest information suggests that India is likely to proceed with the original plan of acquiring 30 drones, with 10 allocated to each of the three services.

The Indian Navy has spearheaded the efforts to acquire these drones and has been actively engaged in the process. Furthermore, all three branches of the Indian armed forces have expressed their intentions to procure similar medium-altitude and long-endurance drones from domestic sources, showcasing their wider commitment to enhancing their drone capabilities.

During recent discussions, US Representative Richard McCormick highlighted the significance of nurturing economic, military, and strategic ties between the United States (US) and India. He stressed the importance of bipartisan support, emphasizing that India should be regarded as a significant "future partner" across various domains by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.