The US has said the sale of 31 armed drones to India at an estimated $4 billion would provide it with an enhanced maritime security and domain awareness capability and give the country outright ownership of these aircraft.

Last week, the US approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India, an acquisition that will bolster India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation.

“This sale, we believe, will provide India with an enhanced maritime security and maritime domain awareness capability,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily news conference.

The mega deal to acquire the drones from US defence major General Atomics was announced during PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 7th Feb , 2024