US has loosened its strict export restrictions on its Predator-B and other armed drones(UAVs).The decision to ease export is meant to help India and middle-east allies to counter the brunt of Chinese armed drones in possession with the Houthies and Pakistan.
The decision made by President Trump is a diversion he made from the 1987 Missile technology control regime,in which 35 countries including the US agreed to restrict the sales of unmanned weapons delivery systems.As the technology advanced MTCR was amended to include armed drones. The drones in the category must have a maximum airspeed of less than 800 kilometres per hour, which will allow sales of the Reaper and Predator drones used by the US military, as well as others made by US defense manufacturers.A White House spokes man speaking on MTCR said the 3 decade old pact is outdated and out of standard.
But the arms control advocates at Capitol hill are infuriated with the divertion Trump made to MTCR.
“This reckless decision makes it more likely that we will export some of our most deadly weaponry to human rights abusers across the world,”said Senator Bob Menendez in a statement.
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