Overview
- Talks run September 16–19 in India with Pentagon officials and Boeing focused on closing a deal for the Indian Navy’s next six P-8I aircraft.
- The prospective purchase would expand the fleet to 18, building on approvals granted in 2019 and a U.S. State Department clearance in 2021.
- Indian reports say the visiting team includes the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, NIPO, PMA-290, DSCA, and Boeing.
- Officials present the expansion as a response to increased Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean and a boost to long-range anti-submarine surveillance.
- Parallel efforts continue with 31 MQ-9B drones scheduled by 2029, while a separate U.S.-India trade round is being readied in Delhi.