In an effort to enhance surveillance along the borders with China and Pakistan besides the strategically important Indian Ocean region, India is likely to ink with the USA a deal for 30 MQ- 9B Predator armed drones worth over three billion dollars.
"The two sides are negotiating the proposed contract for the last five years for the US-made drones and the ball is now in India’s court," officials said late Wednesday in Washington. These remarks came in the backdrop of National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval holding talks over the last two days with top US policy makers besides his counterpart Jake Sullivan.
It was believed the Predator issue also came up for discussion between the two NSAs. Doval also met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken late Wednesday and exchanged views on a wide range of global and regional issues and discussed deepening the bilateral strategic partnership.
Blinken had just arrived from a trip to the Middle East, including Israel and Egypt.
“The United States is expanding cooperation with India to address global challenges,” Blinken said in a tweet after the meeting.
"I had a good meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today to discuss deepening our strategic partnership,” Blinken tweeted.
“Both sides exchanged views on a wide range of global and regional issues of mutual interest and how to further strengthen the #India- US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” the Indian Embassy here said in a tweet. Doval is leading a high-powered delegation to the US.
During the meeting between the two NSA, India and the US elevated their strategic partnership with the launch of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology or iCET.
As regards the drones, the Indian Army, IAF and Navy will get ten Predators each if the deal is firmed up. The Predator is seen to be a key part of India's national security and defense needs. Officials did not elaborate further but ruled out that there was any bureaucratic hurdle or regulatory issues involved.
“I have to take that back and check on that,” Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Jessica Lewis told reporters here when asked for the delay in the proposed deal, which was announced in the summer of 2017.
During the meetings, it is believed that both sides expressed their eagerness to see that the drone deal is fast tracked. India is eager that an early decision would help it get an early delivery of MQ-98 predator armed drones that would strengthen its national security and surveillance not only in the Indian Ocean, but also along the Line of Actual Control(LAC).
Early in the day, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Lewis told reporters that the India-US defense relationship has gained pace.
“When we look at the relationship with India and our security cooperation with India and the defense relationship with India over the past 10 years or even a little bit longer, we've really seen that grow and evolve and change…in very positive ways,” Lewis said in response to a question.
“I think all the discussions (during this week's iCET dialogue) are in that context,” she said, a day after the two countries embarked upon the ambitious initiative in critical and emerging technologies.
Responding to a question, the State Department official said the US is ready to help India diversify its defence needs.
Meanwhile, India and the United States signed an agreement that would streamline the selection and funding process of research projects between scientists and engineers from the two countries.
The opportunities under the arrangement are broad and can nimbly adjust to strategic priorities and researcher interests in computer science and engineering, geosciences, math and
physical sciences, engineering, and emerging technologies, the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent agency of the US that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering, said on Wednesday.
