To enhance the offensive capabilities of the Indian armed forces, the government plans to purchase 10 U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper or Predator B armed UAVs for the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force respectively.
A government source said that the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is interested in buying the Predator B armed drone. The committee may hold the final conference call regarding the $3 billion deal next week.
Now that all issues have been resolved, this matter may be settled at the next DAC meeting. So far, these drones have been used only for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Currently, the Indian Navy is operating two Predator B drones that have been leased from the United States for use in the Indian Ocean. These drones can only be used for surveillance and cannot be used for attack purposes.
Once the DAC's approval is secured, the Cabinet Security Committee will give final clearance to push the agreement forward. This acquisition will be the first tri-service agreement after the establishment of the post of Chief of Defence Staff to achieve the goal of merging the tri-services' acquisition requirements. The drone has a flight duration of 48 hours and can carry a payload of 2 tons. It has 9 hardpoints that can connect sensors, laser-guided bombs, and surface-to-air missiles. India is currently using Israeli drones, Netra, and Rustom drones developed by DRDO.