New Delhi, April 8

India is in talks with the US to purchase 40 Predator surveillance drones, officials said, a possible first step towards acquiring the armed version of the aircraft and a development likely to annoy Pakistan.India is trying to equip the military with more unmanned technologies to gather intelligence as well as boost its firepower along the vast land borders with Pakistan and China. It also wants a closer eye on the Indian Ocean.New Delhi has already acquired surveillance drones from Israel to monitor the mountains of Kashmir, a region disputed by the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals and the cause of two of their three wars.As defence ties deepen with the US, which sees India as a counterweight to China in the region, India has asked the US for the Predator series of unmanned planes built by privately held General Atomics, military officials said. “We are aware of Predator interest from the Indian Navy. However, it is a government-to-government discussion,” Vivek Lall, chief executive of US and International Strategic Development at San Diego-based General Atomics, said.The US government late last year cleared General Atomics’ proposal to market the unarmed Predator XP in India. It was not clear when the delivery of the drones would take place.  — Reuters

Rajnath holdsreview meeting

• Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired a meeting with NSA Ajit Doval and chiefs of security agencies in view of developments following Pakistan’s refusal to allow a National Investigation Agency team to visit that country in connection with the Pathankot terror attack probe.
• US for India-Pak talks
• Our longstanding position is that we believe India and Pakistan stand to benefit from normalisation of relations and practical cooperation. We encourage India and Pakistan to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tension. —Mark Toner, dy spokesman of US state dept