After a bilateral meeting with PM Modi in his hometown, Biden welcomed the procurement of 31 General Atomics MQ-9B drones which will help boost India’s surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. In a joint fact sheet, the two leaders noted the remarkable progress achieved under the US-India defence industrial cooperation roadmap, including collaboration to advance priority co-production arrangements for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems.
What are MQ-9B drones?
The United States approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B drones to the Indian military at an estimated cost of USD 3.99 billion in February this year. As part of the deal, the Indian Navy will receive 15 Sea Guardian drones, while the Indian Air Force and Army will each receive eight Sky Guardian drones.
“President Biden welcomed the progress towards India concluding procurement of 31 General Atomics MQ-9B (16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian) remotely piloted aircraft and their associated equipment, which will enhance the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of India’s armed forces across all domains,” the joint fact sheet read.
The MQ-9B Predator is known for its ability to operate with stealth, flying as close as 250 meters from the ground without being detected. The drone can fly at an altitude of 50,000 feet, with a top speed of 442 km/h. It can carry a payload of around 1,700 kg, including four missiles and 450 kg of bombs, and travel 2,000 miles without refueling. The drone can fly continuously or hover over targets for up to 35 hours.
Semiconductor Plant in Kolkata
On the margins of the Quad Leaders’ summit, PM Modi and President Biden also praised efforts to facilitate resilient semiconductor supply chains, including the creation of the GlobalFoundries’ (GF) Kolkata Power Center in Kolkata. The two leaders emphasised that this supply chain will enhance mutually beneficial linkages in chip manufacturing research and enable advances in zero and low-emission vehicles, connected devices, AI, and data centers.
After one-on-one talks, Modi and Biden welcomed the teaming of Liquid Robotics and Sagar Defence Engineering for the co-development and co-production of unmanned surface vehicle systems that will strengthen undersea and maritime domain awareness. The two leaders also applauded the recent conclusion of the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA), enhancing the mutual supply of defence goods and services, according to the fact-sheet.
Futuristic collaborations
The leaders also encouraged the industry to foster collaboration and drive innovation to support India’s efforts to become a leading aviation hub. The two leaders also hailed the recent teaming agreement between Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd on the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft programme. Delving into futuristic collaborations, the two leaders lauded work to advance cooperation in advanced domains, including space and cyber.
Areas of new cooperation will include threat information sharing, cybersecurity training, and collaboration on vulnerability mitigation in energy and telecommunications networks. The India-US partnership has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, with the two countries collaborating on several issues, including trade, investment, defense, and technology. The latest talks between the two leaders are expected to deepen the strategic ties and pave the way for greater cooperation in the future.
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