India could become the first non-NATO country to purchase US armed drones following a radical overhaul of the country's arms export policy under President Trump. The country had been in earlier talks with the US government over the $2bn purchase of 22 unarmed MQ-9B Guardian drones, according to General Atomics. However, the Indian military balked at the price and the US's insistence on the country signing up to its Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement. In an interview with Reuters, India's defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that she was "confident" that the deal would go ahead after Trump took office.
India could become the first non-NATO country to purchase US armed drones following a radical overhaul of the country's arms export policy under President Trump. The country had been in earlier talks with the US government over the $2bn purchase of 22 unarmed MQ-9B Guardian drones, according to General Atomics. However, the Indian military balked at the price and the US's insistence on the country signing up to its Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement. A meeting between the two nations to discuss the new deal is scheduled for September.