On the 22nd (local time), the summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi included plans to export the advanced American unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) 'MQ-9B.'
According to the U.S. daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), under the agreement reached at this summit, India is expected to purchase about 30 MQ-9B drones. The deal is valued at approximately $3 billion (about 3.9 trillion KRW).
The MQ-9B, which the U.S. plans to sell to India, is an upgraded version of the 'MQ-9 Reaper' unmanned aerial vehicle. It is regarded as a model specialized for reconnaissance and surveillance, with a flight range of up to 11,100 km². It can also be equipped with offensive weapons capable of precisely striking targets as needed.
The MQ-9B is divided into detailed variants depending on mission objectives, and the units planned for sale to India will include both the 'SeaGuardian,' specialized for maritime reconnaissance, and the 'SkyGuardian,' upgraded to comply with European aviation regulations. WSJ reports that half of the newly acquired drones are expected to be used by the Indian Navy, while the rest will be used by the Army and Air Force for surveillance purposes.
By acquiring the MQ-9B, India is expected to significantly enhance its reconnaissance capabilities along the border areas with China. India and China, both members of the emerging economies group BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), were originally friendly but their relationship has deteriorated following border clashes.
India and China, engaged in a border dispute, have not finalized the border line and have maintained a Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, tensions deepened after a series of clashes between the two countries' militaries near the disputed Ladakh region, including the Pangong Lake brawl in May 2020 and the 'baton charge' in the Galwan Valley in June 2020.
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