US, India to co-develop drones, Pentagon says

The US and India will co-develop drones, a senior Pentagon official said in an AFP report.

India will build these aircraft and export them to other countries in its region, this official said.

Delhi wants to diversify its weaponry, which is mainly Russian-made, and also to develop its own defense industry.

“And we want to support India on both fronts and are doing so,” Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, told a group of reporters and defense experts.

“In practical terms, that means that we’re going to be working closely with India on co-producing and co-developing capabilities that will support India’s own defense modernization goals,” Ratner said.

India can then “export to our partners across the region, including in South and Southeast Asia at affordable price points.”

Ratner cited the possibility of developing drones launched from airplanes and anti-drone defense systems.

He also said the Pentagon is considering in the near and medium term “opportunities to co-produce major capabilities,” but did not say which ones.

“We’re having good conversations with our counterparts in the Indian government at the highest levels about our respective priorities in that regard, and we hope to have more to announce on this front before too long,” Ratner said.