The defence ministry has cleared the acquisition of 31 American drones ahead of High Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US. The MQ 9 drones will likely be succesful of lengthy-vary maritime surveillance to boot to precision air strikes, collectively with to a growing stock of US-origin militia tools with the Indian protection pressure.
The acquisition would require the approval of the Cupboard Committee on Security (CCS) before signing as it is valued at conclude to $3 billion and stands out as the largest defence contract inked with the US since 2011, when C 17 Globemaster transport airplane had been acquired for over $4 billion.
Sources acknowledged that the Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisition Council gave a poke ahead for the deal on Thursday, paving the style for final clearances by the CCS. The navy is anticipated to get 15 of the drones that will almost definitely be outmoded for lengthy-vary maritime surveillance. The navy already has two of MQ 9s on rent basis from the US. The air pressure and navy are anticipated to get eight drones every, which are usually geared up for lengthy-vary precision strikes.
The final motion on the lengthy pending acquisition became in November 2021, when the Defence Procurement Board gave an approval to negotiate the contract. The contract is being pursued from the international militia sales route and as soon as all clearances are in space, India will then send a formal query to the US authorities to provide the drones that are made by General Atomics.
The estimated $3 billion deal will manufacture it the most costly drone ever bought by India, which has historically relied on Israeli technology. Efforts are on to blueprint indigenous armed drones to boot to arming the in-service Israeli UAVs.
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