<p>India is preparing to ensure significant local production and sourcing to arm 31 MQ9B SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian drones. That is, India will mount locally produced arms on drones it's buying from the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a report in the defence portal Livefist, the proposal documents related to the matter suggest that the Indian government’s proposal to the United States includes the specific transfer of a list of 'niche technologies', including the "capability to handle multiple simultaneous flights and handling from ground stations, sense and avoid tech for safe integration of unmanned aircraft in civilian airspace, design and development of a centralised mission intelligence station, multi-sensor data fusion techniques to generating actionable intelligence, sensors and weapons integration on unmanned platforms."</p>

<h2><strong>MQ9B drones to be made in India?</strong></h2>

<p>The Indian government is also planning to push for the local assembly of 21 of the 31 MQ9B drones being sought under a India-US deal between the Biden and Modi administrations respectively, the Livefist report added.</p>

<p>The revelations occur after the Indian National Congress, the principal opposition party, alleged corruption in the India-US deal. Following the political row, several reporters have been getting background details.</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/predator-drone-deal-indias-3-billion-deal-with-us-in-advanced-stage-508952">Predator drone deal: India's deal with US in advanced stage</a></strong></p>

<p>India's defence ministry also recently cleared the 'Acceptance of Necessity' stage towards the procurement of 31 MQ9B drones that could cost up to $3.072 billion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian Navy currently operates two SeaGuardian drones on lease. They are reportedly in the third year of their operations and provide the Indian military with a surveillance capability it wants to rapidly expand over sea and land.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Why drone tech in Indo-Pacific is important?</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/why-drone-tech-in-indo-pacific-is-important-607052/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>All of the 31 MQ9B drones being sought by India will be optionally armed with AGM-114 Hellfire or Brimstone munitions, Livefist reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from sourcing these drones, the Indian Navy is already working with ADE and DRDO on TAPAS unmanned flights.</p>

<h2><strong>Who all have these MQ9B drones?</strong></h2>

<p>Only the United States has these drones and the capability&nbsp;to make them. China has been trying to acquire them but so far Beijing has not been able to do so.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>


India is preparing to ensure significant local production and sourcing to arm 31 MQ9B SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian drones. That is, India will mount locally produced arms on drones it's buying from the United States.

India is preparing to ensure significant local production and sourcing to arm 31 MQ9B SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian drones. That is, India will mount locally produced arms on drones it's buying from the United States. According to a report in the defence portal Livefist, the proposal documents related to the matter suggest that the Indian government’s proposal to the United States includes the specific transfer of a list of 'niche technologies', including the "capability to handle multiple simultaneous flights and handling from ground stations, sense and avoid tech for safe integration of unmanned aircraft in civilian airspace, design and development of a centralised mission intelligence station, multi-sensor data fusion techniques to generating actionable intelligence, sensors and weapons integration on unmanned platforms." MQ9B drones to be made in India? The Indian government is also planning to push for the local assembly of 21 of the 31 MQ9B drones being sought under a India-US deal between the Biden and Modi administrations respectively, the Livefist report added. The revelations occur after the Indian National Congress, the principal opposition party, alleged corruption in the India-US deal. Following the political row, several reporters have been getting background details. Also read | Predator drone deal: India's deal with US in advanced stage India's defence ministry also recently cleared the 'Acceptance of Necessity' stage towards the procurement of 31 MQ9B drones that could cost up to $3.072 billion. The Indian Navy currently operates two SeaGuardian drones on lease. They are reportedly in the third year of their operations and provide the Indian military with a surveillance capability it wants to rapidly expand over sea and land. Also watch | Why drone tech in Indo-Pacific is important? × All of the 31 MQ9B drones being sought by India will be optionally armed with AGM-114 Hellfire or Brimstone munitions, Livefist reported. Apart from sourcing these drones, the Indian Navy is already working with ADE and DRDO on TAPAS unmanned flights. Who all have these MQ9B drones? Only the United States has these drones and the capability to make them. China has been trying to acquire them but so far Beijing has not been able to do so. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Make in India' becomes top focus in MQ9B drone deal with the US

<p>A long-planned plan by India to buy 30 multi-mission, armed Predator drones from the United States for the three services, at an estimated cost of more than $3 billion, is about to be finalised.</p>

<p>People with knowledge of the situation said on Sunday that New Delhi is in the advanced stages of negotiations with the US to purchase these drones in order to ramp up its overall surveillance apparatus along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and in the Indian Ocean.</p>

<p>The three services are buying the long-endurance hunter-killer drones because they can perform a range of tasks, such as maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, over-the-horizon targeting, and hitting stationary ground targets.</p>

<p>The MQ-9B drone, a variation of the MQ-9 "Reaper," is said to have fired a modified Hellfire missile that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda, in the centre of Kabul last month.</p>

<p>According to reliable defence establishment sources, negotiations between New Delhi and Washington for the government-to-government purchase of drones made by US defence major General Atomics are in progress. These sources also refuted claims that the deal is off the table.</p>

<p>General Atomics Global Corporation CEO Dr. Vivek Lall told PTI that negotiations between the two governments are far along in the acquisition programme.</p>

<p>"We understand that the MQ-9B acquisition programme is at an advanced stage of discussion between the US and Indian governments," he said.</p>

<p>"Any questions on those discussions should be addressed specifically to the respective governments. From a company perspective, General Atomics is ready to support India and values our longtime relationship," Lall added.</p>

<p>According to the sources, the discussions are primarily aimed at resolving concerns about the cost component, the arsenal, and technology sharing.</p>

<p>The fourth two-plus-two foreign and defence ministerial dialogue between India and the US took place in Washington in April, according to what is known. The procurement proposal was discussed there.</p>

<p>General Atomics leased two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones to the Indian Navy in 2020 for a year of surveillance in the Indian Ocean. After that, the lease's term was extended.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


A long-planned plan by India to buy 30 multi-mission, armed Predator drones from the United States for the three services, at an estimated cost of more than $3 billion, is about to be finalised.

A long-planned plan by India to buy 30 multi-mission, armed Predator drones from the United States for the three services, at an estimated cost of more than $3 billion, is about to be finalised. People with knowledge of the situation said on Sunday that New Delhi is in the advanced stages of negotiations with the US to purchase these drones in order to ramp up its overall surveillance apparatus along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and in the Indian Ocean. The three services are buying the long-endurance hunter-killer drones because they can perform a range of tasks, such as maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, over-the-horizon targeting, and hitting stationary ground targets. The MQ-9B drone, a variation of the MQ-9 "Reaper," is said to have fired a modified Hellfire missile that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda, in the centre of Kabul last month. According to reliable defence establishment sources, negotiations between New Delhi and Washington for the government-to-government purchase of drones made by US defence major General Atomics are in progress. These sources also refuted claims that the deal is off the table. General Atomics Global Corporation CEO Dr. Vivek Lall told PTI that negotiations between the two governments are far along in the acquisition programme. "We understand that the MQ-9B acquisition programme is at an advanced stage of discussion between the US and Indian governments," he said. "Any questions on those discussions should be addressed specifically to the respective governments. From a company perspective, General Atomics is ready to support India and values our longtime relationship," Lall added. According to the sources, the discussions are primarily aimed at resolving concerns about the cost component, the arsenal, and technology sharing. The fourth two-plus-two foreign and defence ministerial dialogue between India and the US took place in Washington in April, according to what is known. The procurement proposal was discussed there. General Atomics leased two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones to the Indian Navy in 2020 for a year of surveillance in the Indian Ocean. After that, the lease's term was extended. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Predator drone deal: India's $3 billion deal with US in advanced stage

predator-drone-deal

Predator Drone Deal, News on Predator Drone Deal, stories on Predator Drone Deal, articles on Predator Drone Deal, Predator Drone Deal stories at Wion, Predator Drone Deal news, Predator Drone Deal latest news

predator drone-deal

'Make in India' becomes top focus in MQ9B drone deal with the US

Predator drone deal: India's $3 billion deal with US in advanced stage