New Delhi, August 17: The United States has decided to lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian systems to India. The U.S. Embassy announced this on Monday, expressing support for the contract with General Atomics for the Indian Navy.
In a post on social media platform X, the U.S. Embassy stated, “The United States welcomes the contract with General Atomics for leasing two MQ-9B SeaGuardian systems to the Indian Navy. This capability will enhance maritime domain awareness and continuous ISR coverage in the Indian Ocean region, reinforcing our shared commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific. We look forward to continued progress in the U.S.-India defense partnership.”
On the same day, the Indian Defense Ministry confirmed that it had signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) to lease two high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) for the Indian Navy for a period of 30 months.
The contract is valued at approximately ₹1,943 crores and was signed in the presence of A. Ambarasu, Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) of the Defense Department, at the Duty Building-2 in New Delhi.
The ministry stated, “Equipped with advanced systems, state-of-the-art sensors, and sophisticated payloads, the MQ-9B SeaGuardian HALE RPAS will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s maritime domain awareness capabilities.”
The inclusion of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian systems is expected to strengthen the Indian Navy’s surveillance capabilities. These remotely piloted aircraft will provide continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) coverage over vast maritime areas.
With these systems, the Navy will be able to maintain constant surveillance over extensive regions, improving its ability to monitor and assess activities at sea. Their deployment is anticipated to enhance India’s capacity to monitor maritime activities in the Indian Ocean region and respond more effectively to emerging events.
The statement further noted, “These systems will provide continuous ISR coverage over large portions of the maritime domain, thereby strengthening India’s ability to monitor and respond to developments in the Indian Ocean region.”
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KK/DKP
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