New Delhi: India has sealed a significant deal with the United States to acquire 31 Predator MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance drones, totaling $3.3 billion. This agreement aims to enhance India’s military capabilities but has raised alarms over the potential for a regional arms race and its impact on stability.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the deal also involves setting up a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India, a development that adds to concerns about an escalating arms race in the region. The agreement was finalized in a meeting with senior defense officials and follows lengthy negotiations, accelerating recently to meet the expiring American offer by October 31.
The procurement, approved by India’s Cabinet Committee on Security last week, will distribute 15 drones to the Indian Navy and the remainder to the Air Force and Army, with strategic deployments at locations like INS Rajali near Chennai and Porbandar in Gujarat. Critics argue that the move signals a shift towards militarization under the guise of national security, potentially increasing geopolitical tensions and undermining efforts for peaceful regional dialogue.