Armed Predator drones are seen as a vital part of India’s national security and defense needs
Post Date – 12:45 AM, Saturday – 6/17/23
Armed Predator drones are seen as a vital part of India’s national security and defense needs
At a time when India faces dual threats from China and Pakistan, the MoD’s approval to buy 31 weaponized MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, an advanced variant of the Predator drone, from the US could be a game-changer. The 29,000-crore deal, expected to be officially announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Washington, will help bolster the armed forces’ surveillance equipment, especially along the border with China . The entry into service of high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) drones — 15 for the Navy, eight each for the Army and the IAF — will improve strike and long-range surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean region and along land borders. Armed forces have long wanted The fighter-sized Predator is armed with air-to-surface missiles and smart bombs and is capable of flying for 35 hours non-stop. National security adviser Ajit Doval and his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan, held a bilateral meeting in Delhi to finalize the mega project. The Hunter drone, built by General Atomics, includes a built-in wide-area maritime radar, an automatic identification system, electronic support measures and a self-contained anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite. India will be the first non-NATO country to acquire these armed drones, which can be used in a variety of operations, including humanitarian aid, disaster relief, search and rescue, in addition to meeting the needs of warfare. The country is also seeking 60 percent of domestically manufactured equipment components for the weapons systems.
China, which has armed drones such as the Rainbow IV and Pterosaur II, also provides these combat drones to its all-weather ally Pakistan. This creates an asymmetrical situation for India. Currently, only some NATO countries and close U.S. military allies have the Predator drones widely used in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to reports, the Biden administration is keen to sign the agreement as soon as possible, which will create jobs and bring political benefits before next year’s presidential election. Biden has made deepening ties with India a cornerstone of his policy to counter growing Chinese influence, focusing this year on cooperation between the world’s two largest democracies on advanced military technology. The Predator armed drone is seen as an essential part of India’s national security and defense needs. Experts have supported the procurement of such drones to deter Chinese and Pakistani drones. Given the border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh and tracking the movement of Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Armed Forces has been focused on procuring unmanned platforms, including armed drones. They are the world’s premier multi-purpose, long-endurance remote-controlled aircraft.
