India set to finalise deal for acquiring MQ-9 Reaper armed drones from US
New Delhi, June 15: India set to finalise a deal for acquiring MQ-9 Reaper armed drones from the US in a Defence Acquisition Council meeting (DAC), said Defence officials.
A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh began on Thursday at 10:00 am. Other 'Made in India' defence deals are also on the agenda of the meeting, Defence officials said.
Top Defence Ministry and military brass are also in the meeting. The meeting's agenda also includes other 'Made in India' defence deals.
This is in preparation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US.
According to defence officials, the original plan was to rationalise the purchase of these drones and cut their number from 30 to 18 or less. According to the sources, India is now anticipated to proceed with the initial plan of purchasing 30 drones.
The Indian Navy is the lead service for the acquisition of these drones and has been pursuing the case thoroughly.
The three services also have plans of going in for similar types of medium altitude and long endurance drones from indigenous sources.
Meanwhile, PM Modi is set to visit the US from June 21 to 24, where 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.
PM Narendra Modi during his visit will also become the first Indian PM to address the Joint Meeting of the US Congress for the second time. Indian Americans said the invitation sent to Prime Minister to address the US Congress serves as a reminder of the historic significance of the relationship between the US and India, reflecting the shared dream and commitment to global peace and prosperity, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
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