New Delhi: India is preparing to buy nearly 30 MQ-9B Predator armed drones from the United States. Discussions on this transaction worth $3 billion are in the final stage. It is informed that this transaction will be ‘Government to Government’. A few weeks ago, the United States used the ‘MQ-9’ drone to kill Al Qaeda chief Zawahiri in Afghanistan. India is preparing to purchase its variant ‘MQ-9B Predator Drone’ and use it for the Army, Air Force and Navy. The deployment of these drones will be significant, especially at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and maritime areas.
Moreover, the ‘MQ-9B’ drones are manufactured by ‘General Atomics Global Corporation’ of the United States. India has been trying to procure these drones for the last few years. In 2020, India leased two MQ-9B drones from General Atomics. The Indian Navy used it in the Indian Ocean region. In the last six months, these drones have flown for about 3,000 hours over the Indian sea area and over land, said Vivek Lal, the senior officer at General Atomics.
Discussions are going on about buying these drones between India and the United States. This ongoing discussion between the governments of both countries is in the final stages. But the details of this will be disclosed only officially by both the countries. But Vivek Lal informed, speaking at the company level that the company is keen to supply MQ-9B drones to our Indian customers. Meanwhile, the participation of these sophisticated drones in the Indian defence forces, which can easily capture the movements of the land and sea areas, and target the enemy with precision, despite flying from a very high altitude, is significant. Pakistan had objected to the ongoing discussion between India and the United States and demanded that the United States should not supply these drones to India.
The said drones will be deployed on Indian warships in the Indian Ocean region and on the LAC near China. Considering the current tension between India and China over the LAC in Ladakh, deploying MQ-9B drones here could be a decisive factor. This will greatly enhance the surveillance and strike capabilities of the Indian Army and Air Force. The main thing is that the Air Force or the Army will not have to risk casualties, given these drones hit the enemy accurately.
Moreover, defence chiefs claim that Indian defence forces have learned much from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. At the same time, the conflict between Saudi and Yemeni rebels that started in 2015 is still not over. Nowadays, conflicts continue for a long time and the power of the countries involved in them continues to weaken. Considering this, there is no option but to increase the firepower to end the conflict. For that, it is mandatory to use advanced weapons and defence equipment based on advanced technology said retired former officers from the defence forces. Even strategic analysts are giving the same advice. Therefore, it becomes vital for a country like India to develop the capability of border security, surveillance in remote areas and timely attack on enemy movements.
The purchase of ‘MQ-9B Predator Drone’ will further strengthen the defence and strategic cooperation between India and the United States. The contract for these drones to the United States, upset over India’s purchase of the S-400 air defence system from Russia, is also essential for India’s broader interests. A few days ago, the US Congress approved a bill not to impose sanctions against India over its purchase of S-400s with Russia. Against this backdrop, this agreement regarding the ‘MQ-9B Predator Drone’ can further advance the cooperation between the two countries.
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