New Delhi: Following the Defence Acquisition Council’s (DAC) approval of the Predator drone deal on July 30, the Defence Ministry is set to approach the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to finalize the acquisition next month.
Although the Ministry has not officially commented on the process, sources indicate that the Cost Negotiation Committee (CNC) has finalized the purchase price at approximately USD 3.1 billion from the US-based company General Atomics. The Defence Ministry will now seek expenditure approval from the Finance Ministry before obtaining the final authorization from the CCS. The acquisition must be completed before October 31 to avoid a price increase by the manufacturer.
The Modi government is acquiring 31 MQ-9B drones equipped with air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs from General Atomics through a government-to-government agreement. Of these, 16 will be allocated to the Indian Navy for maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, eight to the Indian Army, and the remaining seven to the Indian Air Force for strike missions along the land borders.
It is reported that General Atomics briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his team on the drones’ capabilities during his visit to the US in August. The Predator drone has a strong track record in the Middle East and Afghanistan for precision strikes and eliminating high-value targets.
India has already been operating two units of the unarmed Sea Guardian variant of the Predator drone from INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu, leased from General Atomics for maritime surveillance. Although the lease expired in January 2024, the Indian Navy extended it for another four years. The Sea Guardian drones provide real-time maritime surveillance from the Sunda Straits in Indonesia to the Suez Canal and the southern Indian Ocean.
With the increasing use of armed drones, as seen in the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts, India recognizes the importance of acquiring this capability, especially since non-state actors like the Houthis and Hezbollah have also begun using drones to target international shipping and Israel. The acquisition has become a strategic priority for India, given that China and Pakistan are already operating CH-4 weaponized drones, with Beijing supplying these platforms to Islamabad.
