US Senator lifts hold on sale of cutting-edge drones to India; delivery in ‘months’

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, February 3

US Senator Ben Cardin lifted his hold on the sale of MQ-9 drones to India after being assured by the Biden administration about the steps it had taken to address allegations of Indian government involvement in the attempt to murder Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.

The US Administration had on Thursday notified to the US Congress its approval for the deal to send highly sophisticated drones worth over Rs 32,000 crore, including spare engines and missiles, but an irritant emerged after Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, put a spanner on human rights grounds, just as he had earlier opposed the sale of F-16s to Turkey.

As in the case of Turkey, Cardin received assurances from the Biden Administration which he put out in a signed statement issued by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee although rumours were afloat of the Senator having relaxed his position since Friday. Cardin has been supportive of Indo-US ties but has frequently criticised the Modi government for “religious intolerance”.  

“I have been assured by the (Biden) Administration that the Indian Government is committed to thoroughly investigating the situation and fully cooperating with the US Department of Justice investigation so that there is credible accountability in this case. As the Chairman of this (Foreign Relations) committee, I fully intend to hold the Administration to these commitments,’’ said the Senator in the statement.

Cardin said he approved the sale after “months of painstaking discussions’’ with the Biden Administration. Aware of the significance of this sale for US national security and strategic interests, the Democratic Party lawmaker said he questioned its timing considering the “alleged murder-for-hire plot involving Indian officials to attempt to assassinate an American citizen on US soil”.

The Senator acknowledged the key role of India’s partnership with the US in Indo Pacific stability but wanted bilateral ties based on mutual trust and respect. “Championing human rights and democratic values globally is one of my top priorities. Progress on these issues requires difficult discussions about our own democracy, as well as discussions with our closest allies and friends,’’ wrote the Senator while stating that he would continue raising human rights issues with administrations of both countries.

Describing ties with India as “one of most consequential relationships’’, the US State Department was confident of the delivery of advanced drones taking place within months.

“I cannot give you a timeline. This was the initial step today, notifying Congress. The exact timeline of the delivery is something that we will explore with the Government of India over the coming months,’’ said US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller on Thursday. The same day, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had delivered the required certification notifying the US Congress of this possible sale.

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