Deal for 31 MQ-9B UAVs with U.S. expected by February 2024
The Hindu
India to conclude deal for 31 MQ-9B UAVs from U.S. by February 2024; deliveries to begin in 2027. Ministry of Defence clears procurement of 31 MQ-9B UAVs from U.S. for Indian Navy, Army and Air Force. U.S. to set up MRO facility in India; location yet to be finalised.
The deal for 31 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with the U.S. is expected to be concluded by February 2024 and deliveries will begin from February 2027, three years from the signing of the contract, according to defence sources.
“The deal is on track and the Letter of Offer and Acceptance [LOA] is now awaited from the U.S. The contract is expected to be concluded by February 2024,” a defence source with knowledge of the matter said.
As part of this plan, General Atomics (GA) is scheduled to establish a global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India. But its location has not yet been finalised, the source stated, adding that it could likely be in Bengaluru.
In June, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cleared the procurement of 31 MQ-9B UAVs from GA, including 15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and eight Sky Guardians each for the Indian Army and Air Force, at an estimated cost of $3,072 million though the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. Following this, last month, just ahead of the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued the Letter of Request (LoR) to the U.S. government.
Based on the LoR, the U.S. government and MoD will finalise the LOA where details of equipment and terms of the procurement would be negotiated and finalised in accordance with the FMS programmme, the Ministry stated earlier.
As part of the process, the U.S. administration will have to notify the U.S. Congress of the sale, expected to be a formality in this case. In the penultimate step, the deal has to be approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security of the Indian government after which the contract will be concluded.
The MQ-9B, which will significantly boost the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of the Indian armed forces, has two variants - the Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian, its maritime variant. MQ-9B is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40 hours, depending on configuration, in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace, according to its manufacturer.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.