American Predator Drones

US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed India's plans to procure Predator drones made by General Atomics, a mega pact that will allow American Navy ships to undertake major repairs at Indian shipyards.

The US officials have visited a key Indian Navy base that operates the leased American Predator drones, highlighting the close synergy between the two countries in building credible defence cooperation.

In a sign of growing closeness between India and the United States amid conflict with China, the Indian Navy has inducted two Predator drones from an American firm on lease for carrying out surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region and which can also be deployed along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.

The Trump Administration is "considering" India's request for armed drones for its air force, according to a senior American official. "Yes, yes," the administration official told PTI when asked about India's pending request about the purchase of armed drones as part of its armed forces' modernisation drive

India's DRDO on Wednesday successfully carried out the maiden flight of indigenous unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) Rustom-II, an official statement said.

The US Navy made aviation history on Tuesday by launching an unmanned jet off an aircraft carrier for the first time, taking an important step toward expanded use of drones by the American military with an eye on possible rivals like China and Iran.

US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed India's plans to procure Predator drones made by General Atomics, a mega pact that will allow American Navy ships to undertake major repairs at Indian shipyards.

The US officials have visited a key Indian Navy base that operates the leased American Predator drones, highlighting the close synergy between the two countries in building credible defence cooperation.

In a sign of growing closeness between India and the United States amid conflict with China, the Indian Navy has inducted two Predator drones from an American firm on lease for carrying out surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region and which can also be deployed along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.

The Trump Administration is "considering" India's request for armed drones for its air force, according to a senior American official. "Yes, yes," the administration official told PTI when asked about India's pending request about the purchase of armed drones as part of its armed forces' modernisation drive

India's DRDO on Wednesday successfully carried out the maiden flight of indigenous unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) Rustom-II, an official statement said.

The US Navy made aviation history on Tuesday by launching an unmanned jet off an aircraft carrier for the first time, taking an important step toward expanded use of drones by the American military with an eye on possible rivals like China and Iran.