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NATION                                                            FEBRUARY 09, 2024        |  The Indian Eye                    6


                US notifies Congress for approval of




         MQ-9B drone sale to India amid reports



                     of hurdle caused by Pannun Case






        OUR BUREAU
        New Delhi/Washington, DC
            n  a major move for India-US
           defense  cooperation,  the  US
        Istate department on Thursday
        formally notified US Congress of its
        approval of the sale to India of 31
        MQ-9B Drones and associated mil-
        itary equipment worth $3.99 billion.
        The move overcame token resistance
        from some lawmakers who, accord-
        ing  to  some  reports,  wanted  New
        Delhi to carry out a “meaningful in-
        vestigation” into the alleged plot to
        kill separatist activist Gurpatwant
        Singh Pannun before signing off on
        the sale.
            But a report that some lawmak-
        ers, including some Indian-Ameri-
        can legislators, had put a hold on the
        sale turned out to be exaggerated
        after  the  Defense  Security  Coop-
        eration Agency (DSCA) delivered                             A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits in a hanger (REUTERS Photo)
        the  required  certification  notifying
        the Congress of the possible sale on
        Thursday.                         have” in what they said is a routine   India’s  deal  with  the  US  of  al-  rent lease.”
            This proposed sale will support   process. Illustrative of the fact that   most USD 4 billion, paving the way   The Biden administration has
        the foreign policy and national secu-  such legislative hurdles seldom de-  for the acquisition of 31 state-of-the-  today  notified  the  US  Congress
        rity objectives of the United States   rail the White House’s overarching   art  MQ-9B  Sky  Guardian  drones,   of its intent to sell nearly 4 bil-
        by helping to strengthen the US-In-  geo-political goals, DSCA said in   will not only propel India’s defense   lion  dollars’  worth  of arms,  com-
        dian  strategic  relationship  and  to   a  statement  that  the  proposed  sale   capabilities but also ensure a 16-fold   prising mainly MQ-9B drones
        improve the security of a major de-  “will support the foreign policy and   increase in the number of aircraft,   armed   with   Hellfire   missiles.
        fense partner that continues to be an   national security objectives of the US   significantly enhancing New Delhi’s   The defense security coopera-
        important force for political stability,   by helping to strengthen the US-In-  maritime security beyond the current   tion agency, which is an agency within
        peace, and economic progress in the   dian strategic relationship and to im-  lease agreement.        the US Department of Defense, said
        Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions,   prove the security of a major defense   US State Department spokes-  in a press release on Thursday that
        the news release said.            partner which continues to be an   person Matthew Miller shed light   the sale helps in strengthening the
            The proposed sale will improve   important force for political stability,  on the recently approved foreign   US-Indian Strategic Relationship.
        India’s capability to meet current and   peace, and economic progress in the   military sale of MQ-9B Remotely   It added that New Delhi contin-
        future threats by enabling unmanned   Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.”  Piloted Aircraft to India. He said, “I   ues to be an “important force for po-
        surveillance and reconnaissance pa-   The proposed sale of this     cannot give a timeline. This was the   litical stability, peace, and economic
        trols in sea lanes of operation. India   equipment and support will not   initial step today. Notifying Congress   progress  in  the  Indo-Pacific  and
        has demonstrated a commitment     alter the basic military balance in   of the exact timeline of the delivery is   South Asia region.”
        to modernizing its military and will   the region. The principal contrac-  something that we will explore with   “The US  State Department  has
        have  no  difficulty  absorbing  these   tor will be General Atomics Aero-  the government of India over the   made a determination approving a
        articles and services into its armed   nautical Systems, Poway, CA. The   coming months.”             possible foreign military sale to the
        forces, it added.                 purchaser typically requests off-     Highlighting  the  significance  of   Government of India of MQ-9B re-
            The Defense Security Coopera-  sets. Any offset agreement will be   the deal, Miller emphasized, “Almost   motely  piloted  aircraft  and  related
        tion Agency delivered the required   defined  in  negotiations  between   USD 4 billion sale of 31 MQ-9B Sky   equipment for an estimated cost of
        certification  notifying  Congress  of   the purchaser and the contractor.  Guardian aircraft will provide India   USD 3.99 billion. The Defense Se-
        this possible sale today.             Implementation of this proposed   with enhanced maritime security and   curity Cooperation Agency delivered
            US  officials  nevertheless  ac-  sale will not require the assignment   maritime domain awareness capabil-  the  required  certification,  notifying
        knowledged that members of the    of any additional US Government or   ity. It offers India outright ownership   Congress of this possible sale today,”
        Congress were consulted on the sale   contractor representatives to India,  and a 16-fold increase in the number   the Defense Security Cooperation
        “to address questions that they might   the release concluded.      of aircraft as compared to their cur-  Agency said in a statement.


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