India and the United States are keen for an early conclusion of the 30 MQ-9B predator armed drones deal at a cost of over USD 3 billion, which will help New Delhi strengthen its overall surveillance apparatus along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Indian Ocean.
In the works for more than five years, the 바카라ball is now in India바카라s court바카라, officials familiar with the development said Wednesday, without explaining further.
The MQ-9B predator armed drones, 10 each for three services, is seen to be a key part of India바카라s national security and defense needs.
The officials did not elaborate further but ruled out that there was any bureaucratic hurdle or regulatory issues involved.
바카라I have to take that back and check on that,바카라 Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Jessica Lewis told reporters here when asked for the delay in the deal, which was announced in the summer of 2017.
It has been pending for quite some time now, for reasons not known in the public. However, the issues are believed to have been discussed during the meetings that the visiting National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval has had with top American leadership, including his counterpart Jake Sullivan.
During the meetings, it is believed that both sides expressed their eagerness to see that the drone deal is fast tracked. India is eager that an early decision would help it get an early delivery of MQ-98 predator armed drones that would strengthen its national security and surveillance not only in the Indian Ocean, but also along the LAC.
The Biden administration is keen on inking this deal as soon as possible, which will create jobs and would be politically beneficial ahead of the next year's presidential elections, according to people familiar with the development.
About the MQ-9B Predator Drone
바카라MQ-9B would enable its Indian military users to fly farther than anything else in this category, spend more time in the air and handle a greater diversity of missions than any other similar aircraft. The SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian can deliver full-motion video in virtually any conditions, day or night, as well as other kinds of detailed sensing with their onboard systems,바카라 Vivek Lall, chief executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, told reporters
바카라The aircraft also can carry a wide variety of specialist payloads if they must adapt to a specific mission. A SkyGuardian becomes a SeaGuardian, for example, when it carries a 360-degree maritime search radar that gives users a quality of maritime domain awareness they can바카라t achieve any other way,바카라 he said.
Artificial intelligence, machine learning and other sophisticated technologies help unlock the rich feed of insight from these aircraft, analyse it and distribute it to those who need it to take quick decisions, Lall said.
바카라Other payloads include communications relays 바카라 so the aircraft can serve as a node connecting forces over land or sea 바카라 or other intelligence, surveillance or military systems. These aircraft can conduct search and rescue, help fight wildfires, support customs authorities, augment naval forces and take many other tasks,바카라 he said.
바카라In short, MQ-9B is the premier multi-role, long endurance remotely piloted aircraft in the world today. It is in high demand. Japan, Belgium, Great Britain, and several other nations are flying or are on track to begin flying them,바카라 Lall said.
India-US defense relationship
Early in the day, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Lewis told reporters that the India-US defense relationship has gained pace.
바카라When we look at the relationship with India and our security cooperation with India and the defense relationship with India over the past 10 years or even a little bit longer, we've really seen that grow and evolve and change바카라in very positive ways,바카라 Lewis said in response to a question.
바카라I think all the discussions (during this week바카라s iCET dialogue) are in that context,바카라 she said, a day after the two countries embarked upon the ambitious initiative in critical and emerging technologies.
바카라Everything from Indian procurement and or consideration of US systems and India's competition, when they're having competitions for specific systems, to just the across-the-board relationship between our defense department, the Ministry of Defense. So we see this as a place where we want to continue to work closely,바카라 she said.
바카라Without getting into any of the details of the conversation, I think it's a very rich conversation right now. And one that we're deeply committed to not only continuing but to have growth,바카라 Lewis said.
Responding to a question, the State Department official said the US is ready to help India diversify its defence needs.
바카라When it comes to India, I think there are a whole host of options. Obviously, we need to work those out with the Indian government, see what the needs are. But I think there are a whole host of options in terms of us being able to find additional systems, ways to cooperate. Obviously respecting India's own sort of rules of the game in terms of how that works. There's a lot more that we can do together and hope we can continue to work on that,바카라 Lewis said.
(With PTI Inputs)
