Os EUA aprovaram a venda de 31 drones armados MQ-31B à Índia por 9 mil milhões de dólares para aumentar a sua segurança marítima. Este acordo dará à Índia 4 vezes mais drones armados do que a sua frota actual e aumentará as suas capacidades de vigilância. Os EUA vêem a Índia como um parceiro fundamental e valorizam a sua colaboração em várias prioridades.
Terming its partnership with India as among the most consequential ones, the US has said the proposed sale of 31 armed drones to New Delhi at an estimated cost of nearly USD 4 billion will ensure enhanced maritime security for the country. The US on Thursday approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India at an estimated cost of USD 3.99 billion, an acquisition that will bolster India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation.
“I would say that our partnership with India is one of our most consequential relationships. We work closely with India on our most vital priorities,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference.
In response to a question on the next steps in the mega drone deal and its importance, Miller said: “I cannot give you a timeline. This was the initial step today, notifying Congress. The exact timeline of the delivery is something that we will explore with the Government of India over the coming months.”
Under the deal, India will get 31 High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs, of which the Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones, while the Army and the Indian Air Force will get eight each of the land version – SkyGuardian.
“I will say with respect to the deal itself, the USD 3.99 – almost 4 – billion sale of 31 MQ-9B SkyGuardian aircraft will provide India with an enhanced maritime security and maritime domain awareness capability,” he said.
Oferece à Índia a propriedade total e um aumento de 16 vezes no número de aeronaves, em comparação com o atual arrendamento de duas aeronaves MQ-9A, acrescentou.
On a question on outgoing Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu’s tenure, Miller said: “We have had a close working relationship with the (outgoing Indian) ambassador (Taranjit Singh Sandhu).”
Ele disse que os EUA têm conseguido trabalhar com ele numa série de prioridades partilhadas, incluindo o papel crucial que a Índia desempenha na garantia de um Indo-Pacífico livre e aberto que seja conectado, próspero, seguro e resiliente, disse Miller.
Sandhu, 61 anos, se aposenta este mês do serviço estrangeiro após 35 anos de carreira diplomática.
“We wish him well in his future endeavours and look forward to welcoming his replacement,” he said.
Em resposta a outra pergunta, Miller disse que o Secretário de Estado Antony Blinken tem uma estreita relação de trabalho com o seu homólogo indiano S Jaishankar, onde são capazes de se envolver em algumas das prioridades mais urgentes e importantes.
“Obviously, the secretary has travelled to India to meet with the foreign minister on a number of occasions. He’s welcomed him here. He’s met with him in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly,” Miller said.