India leases 2 MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for Navy from US at ₹1,943 crore for 30 months
The Navy already operates two Sea Guardian drones, which were leased a few years ago. The MQ-9B Sea Guardian remotely-piloted aircraft are equipped with advanced systems, state-of-the-art sensors and sophisticated payloads.
The Indian Ministry of Defence has signed an agreement with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, an American defense company, to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Navy, valued at approximately ₹1,943 crore for a period of 30 months. This follows the lease of two drones recently acquired by the Navy. The Ministry announced the signing of the contract, which was witnessed by the Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) of the Department of Defence.
The MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, equipped with advanced technology and sophisticated systems, will significantly bolster the Indian Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness. They will offer persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities across extensive maritime regions, enhancing India's surveillance and response capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.
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