The two sides had been on discussions since 2012. The USD400 million programme was accelerated after the election of the Modi government earlier this year. The new UAVs will complement the fleet of Israeli-made Heron I and Searcher II.

According to the former Indian Air Chief P.V. Naik, the armed drones are ideal for strike mission in high-risk areas and surprise attacks. Other sources have stated to The Economic Times newspaper that the gap in targeting terrorist camps across the borders was felt after the Manipur attack in June, when 18 soldiers lost their lives.

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation is developing the Rustom 2 UAV but it is still considered to be at an early stage. Based on the same report, a senior team from Israel Aerospace Industry visited New Delhi to explore a joint production of drones in India.

The Heron TP UAV can carry a payload of 4,400 lb, at a distance of 4,600 miles. Its endurance is 70 hours and its maximum flight level is at 45,000 ft.