The U.S. Embassy in Washington responded to a report that U.S. lawmakers had put a hold on the deal, linking it to the Pannun case, by saying that the Biden administration “continues to discuss” the deal for high altitude drones that was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in 2023. The U.S. Congress has reportedly delayed the government’s request for approval before notifying the deal—which was previously thought to be a formality—due to worries about India’s investigation into the alleged plot to kill U.S.-Canadian Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in May 2023. This information is based on a report published in the online news portal The Wire.
When asked to comment on Wednesday, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said, “We continue to discuss with U.S. Congress the potential sale consistent with standard processes and policies guiding such arm sales decisions.” Significantly, the response did not refute the report that one or more US lawmakers had put a hold on the sale; instead, it stated that the Congressional clearance is still a work in progress and may still be granted.
“The State Department regularly engages foreign affairs committees prior to formal notification to address questions from committee staff as part of the standard process,” a U.S. Embassy spokesperson continued.
Days after senior U.S. State Department officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu, visited Delhi, the report surfaced. It is understood that the delegation brought up the necessity for New Delhi to demonstrate progress in the “high-level” inquiry committee that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) established on November 18.
Days after senior U.S. State Department officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu, visited Delhi, the report surfaced. It is understood that the delegation brought up the necessity for New Delhi to demonstrate progress in the “high-level” inquiry committee that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) established on November 18.
At a Senate committee hearing on “Transnational Repression: Authoritarians Targeting Dissenters Abroad” in December 2023, a number of American lawmakers voiced their opinions, criticizing the Modi government over the case and putting India in the same category as China, Russia, and Iran. Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee Ben Cardin specifically cited plans for a new “International Freedom Protection Act” to address the growing use of “transnational oppression by autocratic and illiberal states” in response to what he called “disturbing allegations against an Indian Government official for involvement in planning to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York who was critical of the Indian government.”
To “prohibit arms transfers to any countries that are, engaged in a consistent pattern of acts of intimidation, or harassment directed against individuals in the United States,” another senator, Chris Van Hollen, had proposed using a section of the Arms Export Control Act. The U.S. lawmaker(s) who objected to the deal for 31 MQ-9B high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), which is estimated to cost India over $3 billion, are still unknown due to process secrecy.
Together with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s licenced production of General Electric F-414 jet engines in India, it is one of the most significant high-tech agreements currently in the works between the two nations. The MQ-9B deal is still being processed, but the engine deal has been approved by the US Congress.
Before the deal can be finalized, the U.S. Congress must approve it. As part of the process, the U.S. Government and Ministry of Defense must finalize the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), where equipment details and procurement terms would be negotiated and finalized in accordance with the FMS program.
The MQ-9B will greatly improve the Indian Armed Forces’ intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. It will also collaborate with the P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft of the United States to improve the Indian Navy’s surveillance over the Indian Ocean region. General Atomics plans to open a Global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India as part of the MQ-9B agreement.
