India-US Drone, Chip Deal

During his meeting with US President Joe Biden at the Quad Summit in Delaware, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the bilateral defense ties between India and the US. The leaders discussed the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian drones, valued at approximately $3.99 billion. The drones will enhance India's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities across all domains.

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Drone Capabilities

The MQ-9B Predator drone is a high-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted unmanned aircraft, capable of operating with stealth. It can fly as low as 250 meters and as high as 50,000 feet, with a top speed of 442 km/h. The drone can carry a payload of around 1,700 kg, including four missiles and 450 kg of bombs, and travel 2,000 miles without refueling.

Semiconductor Plant

Additionally, PM Modi and President Biden discussed the setting up of a new semiconductor fabrication plant in Kolkata, India. This initiative aims to strengthen the India-US partnership in chip manufacturing research and enable advances in zero and low-emission vehicles, connected devices, AI, and data centers.

Strengthening Defense Ties

The drone deal and semiconductor plant development are part of the broader defense collaboration between India and the US, facilitated through the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) initiative launched in 2023. The two leaders emphasized the importance of shared democratic values, vibrant people-to-people ties, and convergence of interests in driving the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US.