MQ-9B drones to Tejas engines: PM Modi's US visit impact on Indian military

PM Modi began a three-day visit to the US on September 21, including a meeting with US President Joe Biden

India is poised to finalise a $3.9 billion deal for the acquisition of 31 long-endurance MQ-9B Predator armed drones from American defence manufacturer General Atomics, further strengthening its ongoing defence partnership with the United States (US). The contract is expected to be signed in mid-October and will include 15 Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Navy and 16 Sky Guardians for the Indian Army and Air Force.

US President Joe Biden hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his personal home in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday afternoon. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks covering various critical aspects of India-US relations, including ways to further ramp up bilateral defence and military engagement.

 

Following the talks between PM Modi and President Biden, a joint fact sheet stated, "President Joe Biden welcomed the progress towards India concluding procurement of 31 General Atomics MQ-9Bs and their associated equipment, which will enhance the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities of India's armed forces across all domains."

However, there was no specific mention of the ambitious plan to co-produce F-414 fighter jet engines in India.

According to an Economic Times report, the upcoming drone deal will raise the total value of US defence contracts with India to over $25 billion since 2007.

The joint fact sheet also noted the significant advancements achieved under the US-India defence industrial cooperation framework, highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance co-production agreements for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems.

The announcement of the progress towards acquiring MQ-9B drones came as PM Modi and President Biden reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral defence cooperation amid shared concerns regarding China's expanding military capabilities, according to news agency PTI.

PM Modi began a crucial three-day visit to the US on September 21, 2024.

Why is India acquiring 'hunter-killer' US drones?

India is acquiring the 'hunter-killer' drones -- 16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian drones -- from General Atomics.

The price negotiations have been finalised, with the formal conclusion of the deal anticipated next month, according to a PTI report.

The acquisition of these drones is primarily aimed at strengthening its surveillance capabilities along the frontier with China and in the Indian Ocean region.

The drones have an impressive endurance of approximately 35 hours and can be utilised for various missions.

What about the jet engines for Tejas?

No specific mention was made of the ambitious plans to co-produce F-414 fighter jet engines in India, as noted by agency reports.

However, while no joint projects have been finalised yet, the Economic Times noted that PM Modi and President Biden acknowledged the progress made, referencing to ongoing discussions regarding the production of GE-F414 jet engines for India's Tejas Mark-2 combat aircraft, with an 80 per cent technology transfer estimated at around $1 billion.

In June 2023, GE Aerospace had signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to co-produce the engines.

Any update on India's potential acquisition of Stryker?

India is reportedly in negotiations to jointly manufacture the US Army's Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicle, addressing a requirement for approximately 530 units.

The US recently showcased its Stryker vehicles, equipped with Javelin anti-tank missiles, during the 'Yudh Abhyas' exercise in Rajasthan.

What were the other highlights for India-US defence cooperation? 

PM Modi and President Biden highlighted efforts to co-develop and co-produce unmanned surface vehicle systems and enhance India's maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities for aircraft and drones.

During the talks, both leaders acknowledged the collaboration between Liquid Robotics and Sagar Defence Engineering to co-develop and co-produce unmanned surface vehicle systems.

In discussions regarding future collaborations, both leaders praised efforts to advance cooperation in advanced sectors, including space and cyber capabilities. They also anticipate enhanced cyber collaboration in the upcoming India-US engagement scheduled for November 2024.

New areas of India-US cooperation will reportedly encompass threat information sharing, cybersecurity training, and joint efforts to mitigate vulnerabilities in energy and telecommunications networks.

PM Modi and President Biden also commended the expanding defence innovation collaboration among the two governments, businesses, and academic institutions, fostered by the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) initiative launched in 2023.

"They welcomed the enhanced collaboration between the Indian Ministry of Defence's Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the US Department of Defence's Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) through the Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Silicon Valley Summit," the fact sheet added.

Additionally, India plans to post military liaisons to the US Special Operations Command in Florida and the Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii under a new memorandum of understanding.

PM Modi began a three-day visit to the US on September 21, 2024, including a meeting with President Biden. His agenda also featured participation in the Fourth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington and an address at the 'Summit of the Future' during the UN General Assembly.