India-US Rs 32,000 crore deal for 31 Predator drones set to be signed on Tuesday

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Indian armed forces' surveillance capabilities. These deals involve acquiring 31 Predator drones and establishing a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in India.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the acquisition last week. Of the 31 drones, 15 will be allocated to the Indian Navy, while the Air Force and the Army will each receive eight. The Foreign Military Sales contract and the MRO agreement with the US will be signed on Tuesday, according to defense officials.

A team of American military and corporate representatives is currently in India to finalize these contracts. Key Indian defense officials, including the Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager for naval systems, will attend the signing ceremony.

Discussions about this deal have been ongoing for several years. The final approvals were recently secured during a Defence Acquisition Council meeting. The deal needed clearance by October 31 due to the expiration of the American proposal. The drones will be stationed at INS Rajali near Chennai, Porbandar in Gujarat, Sarsawa, and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.

The Indian military selected the number of drones based on a comprehensive study.