INDIA is looking at sealing a landmark deal to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator longendurance armed drones from the US under a Governmentto-Government framework by March with the US Congress expected to clear the supplies in the next few weeks, people familiar with the matter said. American and Indian Government officials will hold the final series of negotiations on the procurement after Washington responds to India’s Letter of Request (LoR) for the acquisition of drones from US defence major General Atomics (GA), they said. India is procuring the longendurance ‘hunter-killer’ drones to crank up the surveillance apparatus of the Armed Forces, especially along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Though the price of the drones will be finalisedin the negotiation process, it isestimated that the procurement would cost around USD3 billion.

 

The people cited above saidNew Delhi andWashington will depute their respective teamsto firm up the deal includingfinalising the cost and other nitty-gritties. The aim is to seal the deal byMarch next year, they said. As part of the laid downprocess, the agreement will bebetween the Indian Government and American authorities and the Pentagon will convey to General Atomics about the requirement of the Indian armed forces, they added. It is understood that the issue of India’s proposed procurement of the drones figuredin US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin’s talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in Delhi earlier this month. Asked at a media briefing as to when the procurement will be finalised, Austin said it will be announced atthe righttime.

 

“Well, again, you know, we’ve--attherighttime,we’ll announce the (deal). I think the Government, the officials in the Government are doing everything necessary to make sure that that capability...You (India) get that capability as quickly as possible,” he said. The Defence Acquisition Council headed by Singh on June 15 accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) or initial approval for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones from theUS under the foreign military sale (FMS) route.

 

In June, both side salso reached anagreement under which American aerospace major General Electric will partner with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to produce jetengines for Indian military aircraft in India. The Sea Guardian drones are being procured for the three services as they can carry out a variety of roles including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the horizon targeting. While the Navy will get15 Sea Guardian drones, the Indian Air Force and the Army will each get eight Sky Guardian drones. The high-altitude longendurance drones are capable of remaining airborne for over 35 hours and can carry four Hellfire missiles and around 450 kgs of bombs.