Washington: US official sources here said that the State Department has issued compulsory licenses to India for the export of 22 Predator Guardian drones. This step has been raised a few days after the first bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Donald Trump in the White House.
Sources said that the Department of State has issued the DSP-5 Tarzan Export License. DSP-5 category licenses have been issued for the permanent export of military materials. From the Guardian drone, India’s shipping surveillance capabilities will increase in the Indian Ocean region.
During the first meeting of Modi and Trump on June 26, the US took this decision. After the meeting, President Trump had announced the sale of the drone to India. With the Guardian drone, India’s naval surveillance capacity will increase in the Indian Ocean region. The estimated cost of these drones is $ 2 billion (about Rs 12,928 crore). Generally, General Atomics manages the Guardian drone. This is the leading company of Vanguard aircraft.
