India Seals ₹32,000 Crore Deal to Acquire 31 Predator Drones from U.S., Maintenance Facility in India

India Finalizes ₹32,000 Crore Deal to Purchase 31 Predator Drones from the U.S.

In a major defense deal, India and the United States have finalized a ₹32,000 crore agreement on Tuesday. Under this deal, India will purchase 31 Predator (MQ-9B Hunter Killer) drones from the U.S., which are a variant of the American MQ-9 Reaper drones.

These drones will be distributed among all three branches of the Indian armed forces. To facilitate their maintenance and repair, a dedicated facility will be established within India. A defense official informed the news agency ANI that senior officials from both countries signed the agreement on Tuesday.

Last week, the deal received final approval during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This comes just a week ahead of the U.S. elections, underscoring the strategic partnership between the two nations.

15 Drones for Navy; Army and Air Force to Share the Rest

General Atomics, a U.S. company, will supply these drones to India. The drones will be deployed at INS Rajali in Chennai, Porbandar, and Sarasawa in Gujarat, as well as Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Navy will receive 15 Sea Guardian drones, while the Air Force and Army will each get 8 of these drones.

Armed with Hellfire Missiles, the Drone Took Down Al-Zawahiri

The MQ-9B Predator is a variant of the MQ-9 Reaper drone, which is capable of launching Hellfire missiles. In July 2022, the U.S. used a Hellfire missile from a Reaper drone to kill Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul. The drone can stay airborne for nearly 35 hours and is fully remotely controlled, requiring only two operators. Once airborne, it can monitor an area of up to 1,900 kilometers and fly at a speed of 482 km/h. The wingspan of the drone is 65 feet 7 inches, and it stands 12 feet 6 inches tall.

MQ-9B to Monitor China’s Moves Along LAC

India plans to deploy the MQ-9B drones across all three branches—land, sea, and air. General Atomics, the manufacturer, claims the drone is highly versatile. In addition to surveillance, reconnaissance, and data gathering, it can be used for air support, search and rescue missions, and attack prevention. There are two variants of the drone: Sky Guardian and its sibling, Sea Guardian. India is purchasing these drones for two key reasons: first, to monitor the LAC region along the China border without detection, and second, to curb China’s activities in the South China Sea.

Used in Somalia, Yemen, and Libya

During the “War on Terror,” the U.S. deployed Predator and Reaper drones in Afghanistan, as well as Pakistan’s northern tribal areas. The drones have also been used in Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Syria. It was a Reaper drone that tracked Osama Bin Laden before U.S. Navy SEALs killed him in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011.