US Welcomes India Leasing Its Drones For Indian Navy

NEW DELHI-The US Embassy in India on August 17 welcomed the Ministry of Defense’s contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian systems to the Indian Navy, saying the capability would strengthen maritime domain awareness and persistent surveillance across the Indian Ocean Region.

The Ministry of Defense on August 17 announced that it had signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems for the Indian Navy for 30 months.

The contract, valued at approximately Rs 1,943 crore, was signed at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi.

Equipped with advanced systems, sophisticated sensors and state-of-the-art payloads, the remotely piloted aircraft systems will provide persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance coverage over large stretches of the maritime domain. This will enable the Navy to maintain sustained surveillance over vast areas and improve its ability to track and assess developments at sea.

Their deployment is expected to strengthen India’s ability to monitor maritime activity and respond more effectively to emerging developments across the Indian Ocean Region. (IANS)