India to be the First Nation to get MQ-9B Reaper Drones from the US

The US and India agreed on a $3 billion deal for 31 high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), with the Navy receiving 15 SeaGuardian drones. The Army and...

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June 24, 2023
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The US and India agreed on a $3 billion deal for 31 high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), with the Navy receiving 15 SeaGuardian drones. The Army and Indian Air Force will each receive eight Sky Guardian land versions. Another significant event was the signing of an agreement between GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to jointly build fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force.

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Boosting India-US Relations

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Pankaj Saran referred to it as a “new era” in India-US relations. “Relationships have entered a new era. The main takeaway is the emphasis on two sectors: defence and technology. “The third element is both sides’ boldness of ambition,” Saran told. “We’ve had summits before, but this time there’s a very deliberate decision on both sides to significantly increase their ties in strategic areas,” he said.

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Former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Ravi Kant Sharma (retired), stated that the MoU inked by GE and HAL is a significant step forward for India and its jet engine development. “It will help India move towards self-sufficiency in jet engine technology, though we still have a long way to go before we can produce an engine.” The F414 is a modern, cutting-edge engine… While the exact print is unknown, this MoU will undoubtedly aid in the transition to indigenous jet engines, according to Sharma.

“These UAVs can sustain for long durations, fly at high altitudes, and have encrypted communication,” he added of the purchase for unmanned aerial vehicles. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance are required in all forms of combat… It will have strong ISR capabilities.”

The Indian Navy has already been using two Reaper drones leased from an American company. Former Navy spokesperson Captain DK Sharma (Retd) stated that the drones provide a significant advantage, especially given that India has been closely monitoring its maritime borders as Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean has increased.

India to be the First Nation to get MQ 9B Reaper Drones from the US

“These drones are an asset that has not been shared anywhere in the world; India is likely to be the first country to receive the MQ9B; they previously gave us two MQ9 Reapers on a ‘company owned, company operated’ model,” the retired naval spokesperson told. “The two UAVs have already flown approximately 12,000 hours and have changed the way surveillance is conducted, data is collected, and a maritime domain awareness picture is created.” “It was greatly appreciated,” he remarked.

“Our area of responsibility extends from Africa in the west to the Sunda Strait in the east and south.” In recent years, we have also noticed a significant increase in Chinese presence in the area under various pretexts. We needed some advanced surveillance assets that were not too expensive to operate. “One hour of a Reaper sortie costs thousands (of Rupees), while the same job done by the P8-I costs a few lakhs,” he claimed.

The Predators, also known as the MQ-9 Reaper, can fly for up to 36 hours at a time and can be employed for targeted monitoring of any location or region of interest.

Other significant outcomes of PM Modi’s state visit to the United States include Micron’s announcement to establish a semiconductor assembly and testing factory in Gujarat, as well as the two countries decision to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024. India has also opted to join the Artemis Accords, which bring together like-minded countries in civil space research, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Indian Space Research Organisation have agreed to a combined expedition to the International Space Station in 2024.

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