NEW DELHI, 10 March, 2020, (TON): India plans to buy 30 armed drones from the U.S. to boost its sea and land defenses as tensions persist with neighbors China and Pakistan, according to officials with knowledge of the matter.

India will approve next month the $3 billion purchase of 30 MQ-9B Predator drones manufactured by San Diego-based General Atomics, the officials said, according to media report.  

Drones India has now can only be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, the deal will add to India’s military capabilities.  

The MQ-9B drone can fly for about 48 hours and carry a payload of about 1,700 kilograms (3,700 pounds). It will give the Indian Navy the ability to better monitor Chinese warships in the southern Indian Ocean, and equip the army to engage targets along the disputed India-Pakistan border in the Himalayas.

India is emerging as a strategic defense partner for the U.S., particularly in countering Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean and some areas of Southeast Asia.

Spokespeople from India’s Defense Ministry, General Atomics and Pentagon officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to visit India this month, according to local media, while President Joe Biden will soon join counterparts from India, Japan and Australia in the first-ever meeting of the “Quad” bloc. The leaders will meet virtually on March 12, according to an announcement posted on the Indian government’s website, which said they would discuss issues including supply chains, maritime security and climate change.

India is shaping its policy according to the perspective of U.S., who view rise of China as a threat to its dominance and national interest. Where China and U.S are competitors, U.S. is using India as its strategic opportunity in Indo-Pacific region.