Overview
- The Defence Ministry signed a ₹1,943 crore contract with General Atomics on Monday, August 17, 2026, to lease two MQ‑9B Sea Guardian high‑altitude, long‑endurance remotely piloted aircraft for 30 months.
- The lease is intended to bridge a looming capability gap by overlapping briefly with two Navy MQ‑9s already on lease and keeping persistent maritime ISR coverage until India’s purchased MQ‑9B fleet begins deliveries, which are expected to start around 2029.
- The Sea Guardian lease will expand the Navy’s persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage across the Indian Ocean Region to improve tracking of ships, support anti‑piracy missions and speed response to incidents at sea.
- Officials and defence reporting say the leased systems will be delivered unarmed while the 2024 Foreign Military Sales purchase of 31 MQ‑9Bs is expected to include armed configurations and a plan for in‑country maintenance, repair and overhaul and assembly.
- Beyond immediate surveillance gains, the deal deepens India–US defence ties and complements plans for local sustainment and industrial workshare that aim to give Indian firms long‑term roles in operating and supporting the MQ‑9B fleet.