India is planning to buy 31 US drones! The Deal: Everything You Need To Know

According to reports, India is getting ready to send the US government a letter of request (LoR) to buy 31 MQ-9B RPAS from General Atomics. The agreement would be carried out in accordance with the American government’s foreign military sales (FMS) plan, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) story.

The acceptance of need (AoN) for the drones was granted by the defence acquisition council (DAC) last month, marking the beginning of the purchase. During Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US, the deal was also mentioned in a joint statement from US President Joe Biden and the Indian Prime Minister.

According to the joint statement, the MQ-9Bs will improve India’s military services’ intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities across domains. In order to strengthen India’s domestic defence capabilities, it was also said that General Atomics would create a maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility there.

The deal’s initial anticipated cost, based on the information that is currently accessible, was $3.07 billion, or roughly Rs 25,000 crore. The ultimate price may change from the expected cost, according to reports, which indicate that the pricing negotiations are still open.

According to sources cited by Hindustan Times, the Indian Navy will receive 15 of the total 31 drones, while the Indian Army and Air Force would each receive eight. According to the article, while the other 21 drones would be put together in India, 10 ready-made drones will be purchased. According to a report from HT, India wants to expand technology transfer under the agreement from 8 to 15%.

The formal negotiations would start once the US issues a letter of acceptance (LoA), which is presently anticipated. The agreement will be presented to the cabinet committee on security (CCS), which is overseen by PM Modi, for final approval after being approved by India’s contract negotiating committee.