India signs Rs 32,000-crore deal with US for buying 31 Predator drones
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New Delhi: Less than a month after PM Modi visited the US, India has entered in a deal with the country to buy 31 Predator MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance UAV manufactured by General Atomics, reports say.
PM Modi and President Biden held talks about the procurement of the drones during the Quad Leaders' Summit held in Delaware.
The deal worth Rs 32,000 crore includes establishing a maintenance, repair and overhaul ( MRO) facility in India.
It is reported that the deal, which could rise to Rs 34,500 crore, could enhance Indian armed forces’ surveillance capabilities.
The project was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) last week.
It will see the Indian Navy getting 15 predatory drones with the rest equally going to the Air Force and the Army.
The deal came through after several years of discussion with the US, according to the report.
The Defence Acquisition Council meeting removed the final hurdles a few weeks ago as it had to be done before October 31 as the validity of the US proposal was to last only that time.
The drones could be placed at four locations: INS Rajali near Chennai, Porbandar in Gujarat, Sarsawa and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
In February, the US had approved to sell 31 MQ-9B drones to India at an estimated cost of $3.99 billion.
The MQ-9B Predator is known for its whisper-quiet operation alongside it can fly at the maximum speed of 442 km/h, and climb an altitude of around 50,000 feet, above a commercial airplane.
The drones can carry out extended missions in all weathers flying 2,000 miles without refueling and carry up to 1,700 kg of cargo.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems claims that the drone can fly nonstop or hover over targets for up to 35 hours.