The United States has been working towards diminishing India’s long-standing dependence on Russia as its primary arms supplier, a role that Russia has held for several decades.
New Delhi: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, the Ministry of Defence has reportedly approved the acquisition of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, which are arms manufactured by the United States, according to sources cited by Reuters.
India is set to purchase a total of 31 drones for slightly over USD 3 billion. One of the sources mentioned that these drones are manufactured by General Atomics. However, the Indian Defence Ministry has chosen to remain silent and has not responded to requests for comment.
According to the two sources, the Ministry’s capital procurement apex body convened on Thursday to approve the deal, which is expected to be announced next week when Prime Minister Modi meets with US President Joe Biden.
It is noteworthy that the clearance from the defence ministry for the procurement of these high-tech drones comes just days before Prime Minister Modi embarks on a state visit to the United States.
President Biden has made strengthening defence ties with India a priority in order to counter China’s increasing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Despite the absence of a formal security alliance between the two countries, he has also expressed willingness to collaborate on military technology.
The Defence Ministry’s “Acceptance of Necessity” marks the initial step in the procurement process for the drones, and the final decision will be made by Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet.
The US Government approved the sale of 30 drones over two years ago, but the Indian Defence Ministry put it on hold. However, when the dates for Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US were finalized, the Biden administration began urging India to make progress on the deal.
These advanced drones will be utilised by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region, as China and Pakistan possess sophisticated air defence systems that could limit their effectiveness along the country’s land borders.
In November 2020, the Indian Navy leased two MQ-9B unarmed drones for surveillance and border security purposes.
Recently, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan concluded his two-day visit to New Delhi, during which he met with Prime Minister Modi, Foreign Minister Jaishankar, and his counterpart Ajit Doval.
A week prior, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited the national capital for two days and announced a joint roadmap for defence industry cooperation.
The United States has been working towards diminishing India’s long-standing dependence on Russia as its primary arms supplier, a role that Russia has held for several decades.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that the Biden administration will approve the production of General Electric engines in India for domestically manufactured fighter jets. This announcement is expected to be made during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United States.
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