India's MQ-9B drone deal: Strategic win or a high-stakes gamble

India’s MQ-9B drone deal: Strategic win or a high-stakes gamble? India and the US are reportedly expected to finalise the sale of US-made MQ-9B Predator armed drones for $3.9 bln during Defence Minster Rajnath Singh’s visit to the US. But are the drones really that good? 1) Reaper drones have most often been used against defenceless civilians. One was used by the US to kill 10 innocent people — including 7 children — in the Afghan capital Kabul in 2021, according to the New York Times. 2) A Russian Su-27 easily intercepted and brought down an MQ-9 over the Black Sea in 2023 without firing on or even touching it. 3) Yemen’s Houthis (guys in sandals) have shot down a total of 10 MQ-9s during the Red Sea crisis. Is India making the right move by acquiring these UAVs? Subscribe to @geo_gaganauts Source: Gaganauts of Geopolitics