Yes to Predator Drone Deal Ahead of Modi’s US Trip: Will India ‘Reap’ Benefits?

The MQ-9B would enable the India to fly farther than any other drone, but it fails to address several threat areas.

The 30 MQ-9B predator-armed drones, also known as Reapers, will be equally distributed among India’s Tri services.

(Photo: Pranay Dutta Roy/The Quint)

India's Defence Ministry has granted approval for the procurement of "predator drones" from the United States just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US. However, the final decision on the acquisition will be made by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). 

Sources told The Quint that the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared the deal on Thursday, 15 June.  The DAC is the top body in India’s defence ministry when it comes to acquisitions, which the CCS subsequently clears.

“The Predator drone deal was approved by the DAC on Thursday, and the proposal will now have to be cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security,” sources said.  

The 30 MQ-9B predator-armed drones, also known as Reapers, will be equally distributed among India’s tri-services.

Notably, the deal, which has seen significant pressure being applied from the US, comes a week before Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to travel to the US for an official state visit hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

What’s Special About the Predator Drone?

The MQ-9B Reaper, also known as the Predator drone, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.

It was originally utilised by the United States Air Force (USAF) and other international military forces and is designed for extended surveillance and strike missions at high altitudes. Serving as the successor to the MQ-1 Predator drone, the Reaper offers several notable features.

Equipped with nine hard points (attachment points), the Reaper can carry a range of payloads, including sensors, laser-guided bombs, and air-to-ground missiles.

It boasts an impressive endurance of over 27 hours and can operate at altitudes of upto 50,000 feet. The drone has a payload capacity of 3,850 pounds (1,746 kg), which includes 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg) of external storage.

Moreover, it is capable of accommodating multiple mission payloads, such as Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) systems, Lynx, multi-mode radar, multi-mode maritime surveillance radar, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), laser designators, as well as various weapons and payload packages, making it a versatile and formidable asset for surveillance, intelligence gathering, and precision strikes.

The US Air Force has extensively used MQ-9 drones in the Middle East since 2007. Most recently, it was used to fire the Hellfire R9X missile that killed the leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan's Kabul.

Apart from India, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Greece, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, and Australia are all in the process of acquiring the MQ-9B variant, which was designed to meet NATO standards.

Why Was India Hesitant? What Changed?

After the US facilitated India’s inclusion in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), an informal, non-treaty in the interest of non-proliferation of missiles, making it eligible to procure long-range drones like the MQ-9B, India sent a letter to the US Government to procure 22 MQ-9B Guardian Predator, manufactured by America’s top drone maker, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-AIS).

Subsequently, in June 2017, it was reported that the US had cleared the sale at a cost exceeding $2 billion and in September 2018, during the inaugural “2+2” dialogue between the countries’ defence and foreign ministers, India and the US signed the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which facilitates the interactivity of communications systems. 

Initially, India had shown interest in acquiring both the unarmed Sea Guardian drones for the Navy and the armed Predator B drones for attack purposes. However, some members of the defence and security establishment believed that a single type of drone could fulfill both types of operations.

One of the main factors influencing this decision was the high cost associated with American drones. The Navy had initially planned to acquire 22 Sea Guardians, which had a price tag of over $2 billion. However, due to cost considerations, the number was subsequently reduced to just 12.

Moreover, it was reported that the Indian Air Force was rethinking the procurement because of more pressing issues and risks of the drone surviving in disputed airspace, such as Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) or along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It was reportedly concerned that the state-of-the-art technology would fall into the hands of potential adversaries.

The IAF instead looked to give preference to the acquisition of multi-role fighter jets with long-range missile capabilities, while the Indian Army may look at replacing the dated T-72 tank.

In 2020, US News reported that during the "2+2" Ministerial dialogue between India and the US, the US pressured India to purchase MQ-9B drones. However, India chose not to proceed with the acquisition at that time.

It was reported in March 2021 that the acquisition of 30 armed drones from the US would likely be taken by the DAC in April for approval.

Will India Benefit from the Reaper? 

The MQ-9B would enable the Indian military to fly farther than any other drone in this category and take up a larger variety of assignments compared to any other drone.

General Atomics Global Corporation CEO Vivek Lall said that the drones can “deliver full-motion video in virtually any conditions, day or night, as well as other kinds of detailed sensing with their onboard systems.”

“The aircraft also can carry a wide variety of specialist payloads if they must adapt to a specific mission. A SkyGuardian becomes a SeaGuardian, for example, when it carries a 360-degree maritime search radar that gives users a quality of maritime domain awareness they can’t achieve any other way,” Vivek Lall of General Atomics said.

Moreover, the drone will also serve as a node which connects forces over land and sea, courtesy of its communications relay, and include other surveillance, intelligence, and military systems. 

“These aircraft can conduct search and rescue, help fight wildfires, support customs authorities, augment naval forces and take many other tasks,” Lall said.

However, India has several threat areas that the MQ-9B drone does not address – most crucially, incursions from land borders. 

Armed drones are suited for less-intense air conflict as they lack the air defence capabilities of a multi-role fighter aircraft. Moreover, China’s integrated air defense systems (IADS) is one of the densest in the world, rendering the Predator drone's operations unviable. 

After the 2020 border skirmishes between Indian and Chinese forces, India has been looking to acquire unmanned aircraft for surveillance and reconnaissance along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

At the same time, the Indian Navy wants to be able to keep an eye on the movements of Chinese warships and submarines in the Indian Ocean. For this reason, India even signed a $2.6 billion deal with the US to procure 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin for the Navy in 2020.

Meanwhile, the cost of a bare drone platform will come up to $100 million, and a full array of weapons systems will also cost a similar amount, reports said. To put this into perspective, India purchased the Dassault Rafale at a cost of $115 million per aircraft.