The US government has put its stamp of approval on the sale of 31 MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones to India. This means that the deal for the world’s best drones will be inked soon.
On Thursday evening, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to India of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of US$3.99 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
Next Step
From today the formal notification starts. And then after 30 days LoA (Letter of Approval) will be sent to India for final price negotiations. The whole deal is under government-to-government agreement and through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.
The man behind the deal
MG-9B Sea Guardian — armed category 1 UAVs to India will come from the US based General Atomics, Dr Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, an aerospace scientist, has played a pivotal role in enhancing the defence trade and cooperation between India and the United States.
His influential efforts have strengthened the bond between the defense industries of both nations, allowing India to acquire advanced defense technologies from the US. And his commitment led to a groundbreaking agreement by the White House, authorizing the release of armed category 1 UAVs to India. As the Chief Executive of General Atomics during the negotiations, he adeptly represented the company.
He has been leading negotiations for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from General Atomics, a deal valued at US$3 billion.
Financial Express Online has reported previously that approval has been given for 31 MQ-9B drones and out of these 15 Sea Guardian drones are for the Indian Navy and eight each for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army (IA). These will be procured from the US under the government-to-government framework by March this year.
These long-endurance ‘hunter-killer’ drones will help the Indian armed forces strengthen their surveillance apparatus, especially along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. And in the Indian Ocean as well as the coastal line.
What does the notification say?
India has expressed interest in acquiring 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft, 161 Embedded Global Positioning & Inertial Navigation Systems (EGIs), 35 L3 Rio Grande Communications Intelligence Sensor Suites, 170 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, 16 M36E9 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM), 310 GBU-39B/B Laser Small Diameter Bombs (LSDB), and 8 GBU-39B/B LSDB Guided Test Vehicles (GTVs) with live fuzes. The estimated total cost for this package is US$3.99 billion.
This proposed deal aims to support India’s commitment to modernizing its military capabilities. It aligns with the country’s strategic goals for unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes, contributing to the overall security and stability of the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region. The procurement is anticipated to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship.
The primary contractor for this transaction will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, based in Poway, CA. Negotiations for potential offsets will be conducted between the purchaser and the contractor. Notably, the implementation of this proposed sale is expected to have no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness, and no additional US Government or contractor representatives will be assigned to India.
It is emphasized that the description and dollar value provided are based on the highest estimated quantity and dollar value, considering initial requirements. The actual cost may vary depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreements.
This acquisition is seen as crucial for India to meet current and future threats, enhancing its ability to conduct unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance. The country’s demonstrated commitment to modernization suggests a seamless integration of the procured articles and services into its armed forces. The proposed sale is asserted not to alter the basic military balance in the region.