Rising threat from China, Pakistan, India fast-tracks negotiations for armed high altitude drones
India is fast-tracking negotiations to acquire 31 weaponized MQ-9B ‘hunter-killer’ drones from the United States, aiming to finalize the deal by December this year, despite the challenging timeline. This urgency comes as China and Pakistan continue to expand their fleets of armed drones.
Techno-commercial discussions for the government-to-government agreement on these 31 high-altitude, long-endurance drones are now in advanced stages. According to defense ministry sources, the Navy will receive 15 Sea Guardians, while the Army and IAF will each be allocated 8 Sky Guardians. This move aligns with increasing tensions, as China, engaged in a military standoff in eastern Ladakh for five years, has been supplying armed drones like the Cai Hong-4 and Wing Loong-II to Pakistan.
The MQ-9B Reaper, or Predator-B drones, can operate for around 40 hours at altitudes above 40,000 feet, equipped with Hellfire missiles and smart bombs for precision strikes. These drones are considered significantly more advanced than their Chinese counterparts. The operational capabilities of the MQ-9B have been demonstrated through extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions by two unarmed Sea Guardian drones, leased from US firm General Atomics, covering the Indian Ocean Region and the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control with China.
The US has proposed a price of $3.9 billion (over Rs 33,500 crore) for the 31 drones and associated equipment, which includes 170 Hellfire missiles, 310 GBU-39B precision-guided bombs, navigation systems, sensor suites, and mobile ground control systems. However, the Indian negotiating team is working to reduce the cost.
Under the agreement, the drones will be assembled in India, with General Atomics sourcing components from Indian companies and establishing a global maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in the country. While General Atomics cannot transfer certain technologies sourced from other companies, it will offer expertise and consultancy to help DRDO and other Indian entities develop advanced drones domestically.
The Indian armed forces plan to induct the first 10 MQ-9B drones within a couple of years after the contract is signed, depending on General Atomics' production capacity. The remaining drones will be delivered in batches every six months. These drones are expected to be stationed at ISR command and control centers in Arakkonam and Porbandar for the Indian Ocean region and in Sarsawa and Gorakhpur for monitoring land borders.
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