BPR Foreign Policy

Bharat Progress Report 2024: The India-UAE Bilateral Investment Treaty Came Into Effect

India signed a landmark defense agreement with the United States in October 2024 to acquire 31 MQ-9B drones in a deal valued at $3.5 billion. The procurement, aimed at enhancing India’s defense preparedness, is particularly significant given the nation’s ongoing focus on countering challenges posed by China.

Allocation Across Services

This milestone agreement, finalized after eight years of negotiations and approvals from two U.S. administrations, also involved India leasing two drones during the deliberative process. On the U.S. side, the deal required congressional approval, underscoring its strategic importance.

Under the agreement, 15 drones will be deployed to the Indian Navy, while the remaining 16 will be divided between the Indian Army and the Air Force. The MQ-9B drones, known for their high-altitude, long-endurance capabilities, are expected to significantly bolster India’s reconnaissance and operational capabilities.

Establishing a Maintenance Hub in India

A crucial aspect of the deal is General Atomics’ commitment to establishing a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India. This move aligns with India’s broader push to attract global defense investments and strengthen its domestic defense manufacturing sector.

The Indian Ministry of Defence announced the deal via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “A contract has been inked with the US government for Tri-Service procurement of 31 MQ-9B Sky/Sea Guardian High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).” The ministry further noted that a separate agreement had been signed with General Atomics Global India Pvt Ltd for performance-based logistics, ensuring depot-level maintenance and repairs will take place within India.

Boosting Strategic Capabilities Between US & India

Defense experts have hailed the agreement as a pivotal development in the India-U.S. strategic partnership. Sameer Lalwani, a senior fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, underscored three critical aspects of the deal.

Lalwani emphasized the drones’ role in enhancing “deterrence by detection,” explaining, “The drones will help India detect adversarial advances on land or at sea early, including from China, in order to interdict them early and prevent conflict.”

Also Read: Bharat Progress Report 2024: India And China Disengaged Their Troops In Ladakh After 4 Year-Stand Off

Zubair Amin

Zubair Amin is a Senior Content Producer at NewsX. He produces multimedia content about world affairs, international relations and India's foreign relations. He tweets at @zubaiyramin

Recent Posts

Deadly Bird Flu Claims Lives Of 20 Wild Cats At Washington Sanctuary

The sanctuary, in Washington, witnessed the killing of 20 wild cats, including a Bengal tiger…

9 mins ago

‘Sunny Leone’ Listed As Govt Scheme Beneficiary: Fraudsters Are Misusing Data

In a shocking incident, actress Sunny Leone was recently found listed as a beneficiary under…

19 mins ago

Russia’s Christmas Strike: Over 70 Missiles And 100 Drones Hit Ukraine’s Energy Grid

Russia launched a devastating attack on Ukraine this Christmas, unleashing more than 79 missiles and…

47 mins ago

Top Family Feuds In India Inc. In 2024: Inheritance And Power Struggles

The family disputes in India Inc. in 2024 underline the delicate balance that family-owned businesses…

49 mins ago

Mariah Carey Gets NFL Christmas Gameday Started With Her Classic Hit ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’

Mariah Carey opens the NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix with a glittering red suit and…

57 mins ago

Indian IT Hiring: 2025 Promises Rebound; AI/Data Science Roles In Demand

Despite a challenging 2024, there is strong optimism for a rebound in 2025. Projections indicate…

1 hour ago