India has sought clarity from the US on the $3 billion deal to buy 30 armed MQ-9B predator drones, which are designed for long-range precision strikes against hostile targets on land and water. India has inquired about price fixation, maintenance, and technology transfer from the US. The media has reported that the massive purchase project would be moved to the Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) for acceptance of necessity (AoN) once the US government provides all answers. To improve their unmanned lethal long-range capabilities, the Indian armed services have been hunting for fighter-sized hunter-killer drones armed with air-to-ground missiles and smart bombs and capable of flying for nearly 40 hours at a time. The Army, Navy, and IAF will each get ten MQ-9B or SeaGuardian/SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) with different payloads to hunt and destroy targets over land and sea, according to Medi. However, the high cost of the government-to-government deal through the US foreign military sales (FMS) programme, which is expected to include the fast-track induction of six of the 30 drones, has caused the final contract to be delayed. The navy is using two unarmed SeaGuardian drones that it leased from the American drone manufacturer General Atomics last November for long-range surveillance missions over the Indian Ocean Region. India will issue an actionable LoR (letter of request) to the US government once the DAC approves the AoN for the project. After Washington responds with a letter of offer and acceptance (LoA) and notifies the US Congress, the final contract will be signed. According to media reports, after a 15% down payment, the remaining instalments will be spread out over five to six years. The signing of bilateral defence pacts with the United States, particularly COMCASA (Communications, Compatibility, and Security Arrangement) in 2018 and BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Cooperation) in 2020, has allowed India to gain greater access to advanced military technologies via encrypted secure communications and data links. Image Source Also read: Indian Air Force gets advanced chaff technology developed by DRDO Also read: Defence ministry to acquire 11 airport surveillance radars from Mahindra