US Urges India to Finalize Armed Drone Purchase During PM Modi's Visit

The US is urging India to speed up a deal for dozens of US-made armed drones ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington. The deal for SeaGuardian drones could be worth $2bn to $3bn, but bureaucratic hurdles have hampered progress for years. US negotiators are hoping Modi's visit will break the logjam. Breaking India's bureaucratic logjam on drones hinges on an internal meeting to generate an "Acceptance of Necessity" document, an Indian precursor to a formal "Letter of Request" which kicks off the foreign military sale process.