White House Acknowledges “Substantial Promise” in US-India Drone Agreement

The potential drone deal between the United States and India has garnered optimism from the US State Department, emphasizing its “significant potential” to advance strategic technology cooperation. Announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit last year, the agreement signifies substantial growth in the defense partnership between the two nations over the past decade.

Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, underscored the deal’s importance in fostering strategic technology cooperation and strengthening military collaboration in the region. Speaking to the media, Miller stated, “The US-India Defence Partnership has seen significant growth over the past decade. This proposed sale, announced during Prime Minister Modi’s visit last year, offers significant potential to further advance strategic technology cooperation and military collaboration in the region.”

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Miller acknowledged the critical role of Congress in the arms transfer process, highlighting routine consultations with members of Congress on foreign affairs committees before formal notifications. He added, “Congress plays an important role in the US arms transfer process. We routinely consult with members of Congress on the foreign affairs committees before our formal notification so we can address questions that they might have. But I don’t have any comment on when that formal notification might take place.”

The proposed drone deal is part of broader efforts to strengthen defense ties between the United States and India. In June 2023, President Joe Biden and PM Modi welcomed India’s plans to procure Predator drones from General Atomics. This significant pact allows American Navy ships to undergo major repairs at Indian shipyards. The General Atomics MQ-9B HALE UAVs, assembled in India, will enhance India’s armed forces’ ISR capabilities across domains, with General Atomics establishing a comprehensive global MRO facility in India.

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The agreement aims to bolster India’s national security and surveillance capabilities, extending beyond the Indian Ocean to the border region with China. Given India’s vast maritime and land boundaries with major adversaries like Pakistan and China, constant monitoring of their activities is essential to safeguard national security interests.

The Quad grouping, consisting of the United States, India, Australia, and Japan, all operate or have operated the MQ-9B SeaGuardian. Currently, India is leasing MQ-9Bs for intelligence-gathering operations. The Predator drones, also known as MQ-9 Reaper, can fly up to 36 hours continuously and are ideal for focused monitoring of specific points or areas of interest.

The imminent acquisition of 31 Predator drones by India from the US will be jointly operated by the tri-services. President Biden and Prime Minister Modi also celebrated the landmark signing of an MoU between General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the manufacture of GE F-414 jet engines in India, specifically for the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Light Combat Aircraft Mk 2, according to the US-India joint statement.