In response to a report that US lawmakers had placed to hold on the drone deal, linking it to the Pannun case, the Biden administration “continues to discuss” the deal for high altitude drones that was initiated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Washington visit in 2023.
According to the online news portal The Wire, members of the US congress held up the government’s request for approval ahead of its notification of the deal.
“We continue to discuss with US congress the potential sale consistent with standard processes and policies guiding such arm sales decisions”, a US embassy spokesperson said. This indicates that the clearance is still a work in progress and could come through.
“As part of the standard process, the State Department routinely engages foreign affairs committees prior to formal notification to address questions from committee staff,” a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said.
After the visit of U.S. state department officials to New Delhi a report surfaced indicating that the delegation is understood to have raised the need for New Delhi to show progress in the high level enquiry committee set up by Ministry of External Affairs on November 18.
What is the deal?
U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian PM Narendra Modi welcomed India’s plans to procure General Atomics MQ-9B HALE UAVs. The MQ-9Bs, assembled in India, will enhance the ISR capabilities of India’s armed forces across domains.
The Predators, called as the MQ-9 Reaper, can fly up to 36 hours in one go and can be used for focused monitoring of any specific geo-location or area of interest.
31 Predator drones, to be acquired by India from the US soon, would be operated by the tri-services jointly.
What disrupted the deal?
After the attempted assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, one of the main leader of Khalistan movement in U.S..
Investigation by the FBI and DEA led to a charge sheet against Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national.
Gupta, who allegedly hired a hitman to hit separatist who support Khalistani cause in the U.S. and Canada at the behest of an Indian security official.
Accused Gupta is believed to be awaiting his extradition to the U.S. from Czech Republic.
During a senate committee hearing on ‘Transnational Repression: Authoritarians Targeting Dissenters Abroad’ U.S. lawmakers criticized the Modi regime over the case, placing India along with Russia, China and Iran on the issue.
Ben Cardin, Foreign Relations committee chairperson called for a new “International Freedom Protection Act”, to address the rising use of “transnational oppression by autocratic and illiberal states”.
A suggestion to add a provision in the Arms Export Control Act to “prohibit arms transfers to any county that are, engaged in a consistent pattern of acts of intimidation, or harassment directed against individuals in the U.S.”.
Anonymity around the deal
Due to strict protocols and secrecy, it is unknown that which U.S. lawmaker(s) raised the objections over 31 MQ-9B high altitude long endurance UAV deal , that costs India over $3 billion.
It is among the top high-tech deals in place between the two allies. Along with the licensed manufacturing of the general Electric F-414 jet engines in India by Hindustan Aeronautics limited.
The engine deal is cleared and the MQ-9B deal is still under review of the US congress
As per the process the Ministry of Defense and the U.S. government will have to negotiate and finalize the terms of procurement and details of equipment in the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA).
Working along the U.S. origin P-8I petrol aircraft the MQ-9B will enhance the Indian Navy’s surveillance over the Indian Ocean Region and will significantly boost the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
General Atomics will establish a Global Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India, as per the MQ-9B drone deal.
