Modi Sarkar Hoping To Seal Drone Deal With A Reluctant Uncle Sam Before The Visit

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi readies for his first official visit to the United States (US) after Donald Trump became President, India seeks approval on the purchase of a naval variant of the Predator drone, reported Reuters.

Any agreement on the transaction of 22 drones with the US will be seen as a sign of improving defence ties, which has been on the wane since Trump ascended the presidency and grew closer to China to contain nuclear power North Korea.

If this deal comes through, it would be the first such purchase by a country that is not a member of the NATO alliance, said the report. The unarmed surveillance drones will be put to work in the Indian Ocean as India seeks to protect its regional waters from any unwanted Chinese presence.

However, according to the sources quoted in the Reuters report, the US is wary of introducing hi-tech drones into South Asia given the simmering tensions between India and Pakistan. It remains to be seen what the eventual outcome will be, but it will certainly indicate the health of the ties between the “major defence allies”.