Defence Ministry Signs Rs 1,943 Crore Deal to Lease Two MQ-9B Drones
The Ministry of Defence signed a contract in New Delhi on Monday with United States defence major General Atomics to lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for the Indian Navy. The contract is valued at approximately Rs 1,943 crore and covers a lease period of 30 months.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, the addition of the two armed drones is aimed at significantly enhancing India's long-range surveillance and air defence capabilities. The systems are intended to bolster the Indian Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness capabilities across vital maritime areas.
The MQ-9B SeaGuardian is an unmanned aerial vehicle designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as precision strike missions. Equipped with advanced systems, state-of-the-art sensors, and sophisticated payloads, the aircraft can remain airborne for more than 30 hours and operate at altitudes above 40,000 feet, allowing it to cover extensive maritime and land territories. The maritime patrol and reconnaissance platform is also fitted with a self-contained anti-submarine warfare mission kit.
The Defence Ministry noted that the leased systems will provide persistent ISR coverage over vast areas of the maritime domain, strengthening India's ability to monitor and respond to developments across the Indian Ocean Region.
The lease comes alongside a broader $3 billion deal previously signed by India during Joe Biden's administration to procure 31 MQ-9B drones from General Atomics for tri-service deployment. Under that agreement, the Indian Navy will receive 15 MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, while the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force will each receive eight units of the land attack and reconnaissance variant, the SkyGuardian.
In addition to the procurement, India has also concluded a separate contract with General Atomics for performance-based logistics support for the RPAS fleet, establishing depot-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations within India.
