Navy gets MQ-9B boost: India leases 2 Sea Guardians for Indian Ocean surveillance
India's Navy will lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for enhanced Indian Ocean surveillance. This leasing agreement boosts maritime domain awareness and response capabilities significantly. India also plans to acquire thirty-one MQ-9B Predator drones from the United States. This acquisition includes domestic assembly, strengthening India's defense manufacturing ecosystem. The deal underscores a…
The Indian Navy has secured two MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., as part of a Rs 1,943 crore 30-month lease to bolster its surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). These advanced drones, equipped with sophisticated sensors and payloads, will significantly enhance India's maritime domain awareness, enabling persistent monitoring of vast areas and swift response to emerging developments.
The lease aligns with a broader $3.5 billion agreement between India and the United States, which includes the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones under the Foreign Military Sales programme. This procurement not only includes 15 Sea Guardians for the Navy, but also eight Sky Guardians for the Air Force and Army. Additionally, the deal encompasses the establishment of a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India, ensuring long-term support and performance-based logistics for the drones.
With 21 of the 31 drones set to be assembled in India, the deal represents a significant step in developing India's defence manufacturing capabilities, positioning the nation as the largest operator of MQ-9B drones globally after the United States. These advanced platforms will provide unmatched endurance, furthering intelligence gathering, maritime surveillance, and cross-border security operations, reflecting the growing strategic partnership between India and the United States in securing a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of an assertive China.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
