Ahead of PM Modi’s visit, US approves sale of drones to India

WASHINGTON: The United States government has approved the sale of a naval variant of the Predator drone made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc to India, the US-based company said on Friday. Reuters reported earlier on Friday that the US government was expected to authorise the sale of drones ahead of a visit next week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India has been looking to buy 22 of the unarmed surveillance aircraft, MQ-9B Guardian, worth more than $2 billion to keep watch over the Indian Ocean. “We are pleased that the U.S. Government has cleared the way for the sale of the MQ-9B Guardian to the Indian Gov- ernment,” General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Chief Executive Linden Blue said in a statement. The Indian embassy and the US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Securing agreement on the purchase of the drones is seen in New Delhi as a key test of defence ties that flourished under former President Barack Obama but have drifted under Trump, who has courted Asian rival China as he seeks Beijing’s help to contain North Ko- rea’s nuclear programme. The deal would be the first such purchase by a country that is not a member of the NATO alliance.