India has been granted Observer Status in the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR)-managed Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS), also known as the Eurodrone Programme. The approval follows India’s request submitted on August 27, 2024.
The Letter of Approval was delivered by OCCAR-EA Director Joachim Sucker to India’s Ambassador to Germany, Ajit Gupte, at the Indian Embassy in Berlin. The approval was signed by former Chairman of the OCCAR Board of Supervisors (BoS), Lt Gen Frédéric Goetynck, before the BoS chairmanship transitioned from Belgium to Spain in December 2024.
Sucker noted the BoS’s acknowledgment of India’s interest in OCCAR and its willingness to explore potential areas of cooperation with Europe.
Eurodrone is an unmanned aerial system designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. It is being developed by Airbus Defence & Space GmbH, Leonardo Spa, Dassault Aviation, and Airbus Defence & Space SAU, with Germany, France, Italy, and Spain as participating nations.