India has entered into a deal with the US to procure 31 long-range MQ-9B Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the national armed forces. As reported by the Press Trust of India, the UAVs will be purchased from General Atomics as part of an intergovernmental agreement.
According to the agency, the Indian Navy will receive 15 Sea Guardian modifications, and the Indian Air Force and Army will receive 8 Sky Guardian vehicles each. As previously reported, deliveries of the drones are expected to begin within four years after the deal is concluded.
India previously leased two Sea Guardian UAVs, an unarmed version of the Predator, from General Atomics. They are used to monitor the situation at sea in real time. The lease for the two reconnaissance drones expired in January 2024, but the Indian Navy has extended it for another four years.
