India Signs $3 Billion Deal for Predator Drones with USA
India has finalized a $3 billion deal with the United States to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator long-endurance drones.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- India signs $3 billion deal for 31 MQ-9B Predator drones.
- Drones to be used by the Navy, Army, and Air Force.
- Includes the establishment of an MRO facility in India.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Medium | 4–8 | UPSC focuses on strategic aspects: defence policy, Indo-Pacific, border issues, and bilateral defence deals. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–5 | Defence acquisitions, military exercises, and appointments appear in SSC GK. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- Military exercise: name, participating countries, location, purpose
- Defence acquisition: system name, purpose, procured from which country
- Appointments: new Chief of Army Staff, CNS, CAS, and their tenures
- Indigenization: 'Made in India' defence milestones, first-ever systems
- Strategic policy: recent changes to defence export policy, FDI limits in defence
Practice Questions
Q1. What is the name of the long-endurance drones India is procuring from the USA?
- Heron
- MQ-9B Predator
- Shahed
- Bayraktar
Explanation: India is procuring the MQ-9B Predator (SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian) drones.
Q2. The Predator drone deal includes the procurement of how many units?
- 10
- 21
- 31
- 50
Explanation: The deal is for a total of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones.
How to Prepare Defence for Government Exams
For every military exercise, note: India + Partner country + Purpose (bilateral or multilateral). Questions are pattern-based.
Defence indigenization ('Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence') is a high-priority topic for 2025–26. Focus on systems developed by DRDO or HAL.
Chiefs of defence services change periodically. Always keep the current CDS, Army Chief, Navy Chief, and Air Chief up to date.
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