WASHINGTON — India has approved the lease of two more MQ-9 unmanned aircraft for the Indian Navy, a move aimed at strengthening maritime surveillance capabilities and further deepening defense cooperation with the United States.
The decision was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and is expected to significantly enhance India’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations across the Indian Ocean region and along sensitive maritime corridors.
India first leased two MQ-9 drones in 2020, and defense officials say the aircraft have since played a critical role in providing persistent surveillance and real-time intelligence support for naval and border security missions. The addition of two more platforms is expected to expand the Navy’s ability to monitor strategic waterways and improve overall maritime domain awareness.
Defense experts describe the MQ-9 as one of the most capable high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned systems currently in service, widely used for intelligence gathering and maritime surveillance.
The approval comes amid renewed emphasis by New Delhi and Washington on expanding defense collaboration as a central pillar of the broader strategic partnership. Bilateral defense ties have steadily grown in recent years, marked by increased interoperability, technology sharing, and major procurement agreements.
Officials also pointed to the long-standing efforts of U.S.-based aerospace scientist Vivek Lall, who has been involved for more than two decades in advancing defense trade and industrial cooperation between the two countries. His work has helped facilitate access to advanced U.S. defense technologies while supporting closer ties between defense industries in India and the United States.
During his earlier tenure at a major U.S. defense firm, Lall played a key role in negotiations that led to the acquisition of MH-60R anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the Indian Navy, a deal finalized during a U.S. presidential visit to India in the previous decade.
India’s broader defense cooperation with the United States has included a range of major acquisitions across the Navy, Air Force, and Army, boosting military capability while also supporting industrial participation and employment on both sides.
Officials said the expanded use of MQ-9 drones underscores India’s growing reliance on advanced unmanned systems to safeguard its land and maritime frontiers amid evolving regional security challenges. (Source: IANS)
