With the administration of US President Barack Obama coming to an end, India is hastening to finalise an agreement to purchase Predator drone aircraft.
The Predator comes in handy, especially during military surveillance. India’s request for 22 Predator Guardian drones made in June is in an advanced stage of negotiations.
Notably, The United States has dislodged Russia as the top arms supplier to India. New Delhi is also on the cusp of sealing a US nuclear reactor deal worth billions of dollars.
India’s rush to ink the deal can be attributed to two factors. Firstly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shares a good rapport with the American president and secondly, there is also an air of uncertainty over the next president of US.
While Democrat Hillary Clinton is seen more or less in positive light, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy has send mixed signals to its allies.
Trump has said US allies, such as Japan and South Korea, should pay more towards their defence. Trump has sent contradictory messages to India also.
“It is progressing well. The aim is to complete the main process in the next few months,” said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The United States has dislodged Russia as the top arms supplier to India. New Delhi is also on the cusp of sealing a US nuclear reactor deal+ worth billions of dollars.
In return, Washington has given New Delhi access to high-end military technology, such as a new system to launch planes off aircraft carriers, and leaned on other countries to give India membership in the Missile Technology Control Regime, which cleared the way for the sale of the unarmed Predator.
India’s military has also asked for the armed version of the Predator to help target suspected militant camps in Pakistan but US export control laws prohibit such a transfer.
