US okays sale of 22 Guardian drones to India

WASHINGTON: The US has cleared the sale of 22 Guardian drones to India a deal being termed a game-changer for bilateral ties ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to Washington.

According to sources, the decision was communicated to the Indian government by the State Department on Wednesday. This is the very first significant sign of the Trump administration being more result-oriented in its relationship with India as compared to the Obama administration, the sources said, adding that the sale of 22 predator drones being manufactured by the General Atomics was a game-changer for US-India relations. 

2US Aerospace expert Dr Vivek Lall of the General Atomics, who was pivotal in India acquiring Boeing P8 ISR technology, is believed to have played a key role in fast-tracking the decision-making process of the Trump administration.