India will deploy the 31 Predator drones to carry out surveillance across three major hubs across the country. Thus, including borders with China and Pakistan and the vast maritime zone. The plans to procure General Atomics MQ-9 “Reaper” armed drones announced during PM Modi‘s visit to the US.
The Predator drones have currently operated by representatives of General Atomics. But Indian pilots from the three services will trained for this role in India and US and the drones will operated by the three services jointly. The armed drones will also operate from bases which enable the launching and landing of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The deal to acquire MQ-9 “Reaper” drones under a government-to-government framework has approved the Defence Ministry On June 15.