India Commences Procurement of 31 MQ-9B Drones from the United States

India has initiated the process to procure advanced drones from the United States, according to officials who have requested anonymity. A formal letter of request has been sent to Washington for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft systems, outlining the requirements across the tri-services, equipment specifications, and procurement terms.

In response to India's request, the United States will issue a letter of acceptance, after which negotiations will commence, considering pricing and terms agreed upon with other countries.

This deal was previously mentioned in a joint statement released on June 22 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inaugural state visit to the US.

The drone acquisition will involve technology transfer, which is expected to help address technological gaps faced by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the indigenous development of such systems. The procurement will occur through the foreign military sales program, which is the US government's method for selling US-manufactured platforms to other governments.

The Indian Defence Acquisitions Council, the nation's principal weapons procurement body, approved the purchase of General Atomics high-altitude long-endurance drones on June 15. The Indian Navy is set to receive 15 drones, while the Indian Army and Indian Air Force will each receive eight. General Atomics has proposed a $3.07 billion deal for the drones, which includes weaponry, sensors, ground control stations, data terminals, handling equipment, spares, and logistics support.

India aims to negotiate a higher level of technology transfer, with plans to increase the current offer of 8-9% to a range of 15% to 20%. These versatile drones, assembled in India, will be capable of conducting strikes with onboard weapons, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, defensive counter-air operations, and airborne early warning functions.

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