NEW DELHI: India has finalized an agreement with the US State Department to purchase 31 armed MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, according to the country’s defense ministry.
This deal, which follows discussions that began in 2018, is expected to significantly enhance India’s surveillance and intelligence capabilities.
Last year, India’s top defense authority approved the procurement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington, and the Pentagon granted its approval in February.
The drones will primarily be utilized by the navy in the Indian Ocean Region. Notably, India’s long-standing rivals, China and Pakistan, possess advanced air defense systems that may restrict the drones’ operational effectiveness along India’s land borders, as reported by Reuters last year.