Congress: The acquisition of 31 predator drones, which was lauded by Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden during the Prime Minister’s maiden state visit to the US, has been accused by the Congress of being made at a higher cost by India than other nations. The party made a comparison between this and the Rafale purchase, asking, ‘Is it not reminiscent of the Rafale deal wherein PM Modi unilaterally signed a deal for 36 Rafales without the Defence Ministry or the External Affairs Ministry privy to it?’
Government Response Awaited
The Government of India is allegedly paying 3.072 billion (Rs 25,200 crore) for 31 General Atomics MQ-9B Predator drones, according to claims made by the Congress. Why, in comparison to other nations, does India pay more than the actual cost of a drone? Congress questioned, ‘Why are we paying the highest price for a drone without AI integration?’ The party also inquired about the quantity of drones procured by the Modi administration. Congress questioned, ‘The Indian Armed Forces notified the Modi Government that the requirement for Predator drones is simply 18 and not 31 in April 2023 (just 2 months ago). So why is the Modi government suddenly purchasing 31 drones?’ To the accusations made by the Congress, the BJP has not yet responded. However, in response to a statement made by TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale, the Press Information Bureau, the main office of the Government of India for informing the media, stated: “This is the price provided by the US govt. Negotiations will take place before a final price and purchasing terms are agreed upon. Gokhale had said: “PM Modi signed an agreement in the US to purchase 31 MQ9B Predator drones for $3.1 billion+. That’s ~ $110 million per drone.”
Comparative Costs and Alternatives Highlighted by Congress in Predator Drone Acquisition Debate
A spokeswoman for the Congress, Pawan Khera, stated: “Several countries have brought these MQ-9B Predator drones or very similar variants at a lower price than India.” He used a number of illustrations to emphasise his points. The improved MQ-9 drone was purchased by the US Air Force for USD 56.5 million per. In 2016, the UK Air Force purchased MQ-9B drones for USD 12.5 million each. Spain also purchased these drones for USD 46.75 million each. He stated that Germany purchased it for USD 17 million per drone. The Rustom II Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, according to the Congress, is a Predator drone substitute that is readily available in India. “The Rustom II is a medium-altitude long endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developed on the lines of the Predator drones of the US. It is designed primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It’s capable of staying aloft (at a maximum flight altitude of over 22,000 feet) for more than 24 hours,” the Congress said in a statement.
Congress Raises Concerns over Cost Discrepancy
According to Congress Statement, “The entire development project of the Rustom series was estimated to cost around Rs 1,500 crore (approximately USD 200 million) incurred by DRDO. However, each Predator/Reaper drone from General Atomics USA will cost approximately Rs 812 crore each and India is keen to buy 31 of those which means India shall spend Rs 25,200 crore. The DRDO can develop the same in just 10-20% of the cost,” The Congress questioned why the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) did not authorise the Predator sale, comparing it to the purchase of the Rafale aircraft. The Congress also requested to inquire of the Centre why the deal was negotiated quickly, alleging that the Air Force had concerns about the rocketing costs of these drones. The Congress also questioned the government’s intentions regarding the development of indigenous drones and demanded to know why the Predator was chosen over the Made-in-India Rustom series.
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