New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council, or DAC, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved the deal to get Predator (MQ-9 Reaper) drones from the US. Now the final decision on this deal will be taken by the cabinet committee. The Indian Navy will get 15 drones, which will be deployed under the surveillance of the sea.
The drone MQ-9 is made by the American defence company General Atomics. Its aim is accuracy. The missile can be fitted into the drone. Through this, small targets can be destroyed. It is claimed that the US used such drones to attack Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri.
India currently has two Predator drones. These were taken on lease from an American firm and are helping the Navy monitor activities in the Indian Ocean region.
PM Modi is scheduled to visit the US from June 21 to 24, when US President Joe Biden will host him at the White House. This will be PM Modi’s first state visit to the US during his nine-year reign as Prime Minister.
During his visit, PM Narendra Modi will also become the first Indian PM to address a joint sitting of the US Congress for the second time. Indian Americans said the invitation to the Prime Minister to address the US Congress is a reminder of the historic importance of the relationship between the US and India, reflecting their shared vision and commitment to global peace and prosperity, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
