In a significant enhancement of its surveillance capabilities, India is poised to sign a Rs 32,000 crore deal with the United States for the acquisition of 31 Predator drones and the establishment of a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in India. This contract has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Details of the Acquisition
The Foreign Military Sales contract, which is scheduled for signing today (Tuesday), involves the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from US defence contractor General Atomics. Of these, 15 will be allocated to the Indian Navy, while the Indian Air Force and the Army will each receive eight drones. The total cost for this procurement is approximately USD 3.1 billion.

Enhancing Surveillance Capabilities
The acquisition of the MQ-9B Predator drones is primarily aimed at bolstering the surveillance capabilities of the armed forces, particularly along the contested border with China. The high-altitude, long-endurance drones can remain airborne for over 35 hours, carrying up to four Hellfire missiles and around 450 kg of bombs. The Sea Guardian variant, specifically chosen for the Navy, is equipped to perform multiple roles, including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and over-the-horizon targeting.

Previous Approvals and Historical Context
In June of the previous year, the Defence Ministry had already approved the procurement of these armed drones under a government-to-government framework. Notably, the MQ-9B drone is a variant of the MQ-9 "Reaper," which was employed in July 2022 to eliminate al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul using a modified version of the Hellfire missile. 

Agency inputs