Not 8%, India eyes 20% local content in drones

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, June 24

India’s Ministry of Defence is looking to engage the US government and seek a greater share of local content in the $3 billion deal for procuring 31 armed drones, the MQ9B, from General Atomics.

31 MQ9B armed drones

15 for Navy, 8 for Army, 8 for IAF

Capable of search and rescue

Can handle border enforcement

Airborne early warning

Anti-submarine warfare

Long-range strategic surveillance

Over-the-horizon targeting

Top sources in the MoD said the existing proposal of the US company had a ‘make-in-India’ content of about 8 per cent. “We would want it to be nearly 20 per cent. But for that, the US government has to agree. General Atomics has to approve the proposal too,” the official said. A letter of request (LoR) is expected to be issued in July to the US government as the drone deal is under the foreign military sales route. The MQ9B is classified as category-1 item under the missile technology control regime (MTCR), of which India is a signatory. A deal for armed drones was formally announced after the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Washington DC on June 22. A joint statement: “MQ-9Bs will be assembled in India. General Atomics will also establish a comprehensive global MRO facility in India to support of India’s long-term goals to boost indigenous defence capabilities.”

Sources in India explained this saying that so far, no decision had been made on the location of the “assembly plant”. The drone will have to be assembled at a unit next to an airfield as it would need to take-off from the spot and join the base chosen for it by the armed forces.

The 31 armed drones—15 for the Navy and eight each for the Army and Air Force—have multiple usages. These drones can be used to target enemy positions on ground, warships at sea, submarines, airbases and even small targets like planes, besides 24x7 surveillance capability. The drones will change the battle-scape and New Delhi’s prowess. India will be getting same drones as available to the US forces and its allies like the UK, Canada or Australia.

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