Biden Administration Advances $4 Billion Drone Sale to India
The Biden administration is moving forward with plans to sell $4 billion worth of drones to India, as part of its efforts to strengthen the defense partnership between the two countries. The proposed deal, which emerged during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington last year, involves India purchasing 31 MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
The approval for the sale was given by the U.S. State Department on Thursday. The notification of the pending purchase has been sent to Congress, triggering a 30-day review period for lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The sale of these advanced drones to India is seen as a significant step in advancing strategic technology cooperation and military collaboration in the region.
The U.S.-India defense partnership has seen significant growth over the past decade, said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. He further emphasized that the drone sale offers great potential to deepen the defense ties between the two countries.
The Biden administration has been actively courting India as part of its strategy to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. is also keen on reducing India’s reliance on Russia as its primary arms supplier. India, on the other hand, is seeking to develop its own indigenous defense-industrial base.
It is worth noting that India is currently the world’s largest arms importer by value, as highlighted in a Congressional Research Service report from December. The sale of advanced drones and other defense agreements are expected to bolster India’s capabilities and help it modernize its armed forces.
In addition to the drone sale, Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington last June resulted in various other agreements. General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. signed a deal to jointly produce fighter jet engines. Micron Technology, an American semiconductor firm, pledged a substantial investment for the construction of an assembly and test facility in India. The two countries also initiated negotiations for a reciprocal defense procurement arrangement to facilitate the exchange and development of military technology.
Moreover, the U.S. and India launched the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology in May 2022. This initiative aims to enhance cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and semiconductors.
The proposed drone sale to India is seen as a significant step in strengthening the defense partnership between the two countries. It is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region and support India in developing its defense capabilities. The sale represents a notable achievement in the growing strategic and military cooperation between the U.S. and India.
