India’s Defence Acquisition Council has given its approval for the procurement of 31 armed MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from General Atomics, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the U.S. The deal, pending final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security, is expected to be announced during the visit. The high-altitude long-endurance armed UAVs will be purchased through the Foreign Military Sales route of the U.S. government, with 15 UAVs intended for the Navy, and eight each for the Army and Air Force. The estimated cost of the deal, including maintenance, overhaul, and repair, exceeds $3 billion.
The Navy has expressed a pressing need for these platforms, as they will greatly enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region and reduce the strain on the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The initial plan was to acquire 30 UAVs, with 10 allocated to each service, but the Navy’s requirement took precedence. The Navy had leased two MQ-9As in 2020 and extended the lease. These leased UAVs have successfully completed 10,000 flight hours and helped cover over 14 million square miles of operating area.
In a collaborative effort, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and General Atomics announced at Aero India in February that HAL’s engine division would support the turbo-propeller engines powering the MQ-9 for the Indian market. The companies are working on establishing a comprehensive engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul program for future high-altitude long-endurance UAV projects.
