MQ-9B For India: Win Or Waste? | Ctrl Alt Defence Ep 54
India has signed a ₹1,900 crore deal for two more MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones - but is the capability worth the cost, and what does it mean for India's push for indigenous military technology?
On Episode 54 of #CtrlAltDefence, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som break down the new lease deal, the Indian Navy's experience with the MQ-9B, and the debate over whether expensive foreign platforms are undermining India's own drone programmes.
Episode 54
Watch now: https://youtu.be/rdhppF4kbp0
How the Indian Navy is using the MQ-9B for persistent maritime surveillance
Why the MQ-9B offers capabilities that India's current indigenous platforms cannot yet match
The debate over India's growing dependence on American defence technology
What went wrong with the DRDO's TAPAS/Rustom-2 programme
Why TAPAS was removed from mission mode after failing to meet key requirements
How the Sea Guardian fits into India's wider network of surveillance platforms
Can India's private sector build the next generation of MALE drones domestically?
Why affordable, expendable and autonomous drones could be just as important
The online backlash, trolling and death threats surrounding the MQ-9B debate
Capability vs self-reliance: should India buy what it needs now while building for the future?
From the MQ-9B Sea Guardian and TAPAS to India's emerging private-sector drone ecosystem, this episode examines the bigger question behind the latest deal: when it comes to defence technology, should India prioritise capability today-or wait for indigenous systems to mature?
Watch now.
