India is aiming to increase the indigenous content in the MQ-9B High-Altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAVs from the current 8-9% to 15-20%, as stated by a senior government official. The plan involves manufacturing certain components in India, with private and public sector companies expressing interest in contributing avionics and sensors. Discussions are ongoing with these companies.
The decision to procure the UAVs was made during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the United States. The MQ-9Bs will be assembled in India, enhancing the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of India’s armed forces. General Atomics will also establish a Comprehensive Global MRO facility in India to support indigenous defense capabilities.
Negotiations are expected to take a few months before the deal is finalized. Commercial terms and clearances must be secured before signing the deal. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had approved the procurement of 31 UAVs, with 15 for the Navy and eight each for the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
General Atomics reports that the MQ-9 UAVs have an endurance of over 27 hours, speeds of 240 KTAS, and a payload capacity of 3,850 pounds. Once deployed, these UAVs will enhance the IAF’s ISR capabilities and be able to strike strategic targets during long-endurance missions. The Navy had leased two MQ-9 UAVs following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, with the lease extended.
In November 2022, GA-ASI announced that the leased UAVs had completed 10,000 flight hours, assisting the Indian Navy in covering over 14 million square miles of operating area. The MQ-9 UAVs are utilized by various international forces, including the US Air Force, the Royal Air Force, and the French Air Force.
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