Navy gets MQ-9B boost: India leases 2 Sea Guardians for Indian Ocean surveillance

In a boost to the Indian Navy's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the defence ministry has signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. for the leasing of two MQ‑9B Sea Guardian High‑Altitude Long‑Endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems for the Indian Navy. Valued at around Rs 1,943 crore, the 30‑month lease is intended to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage across the Indian Ocean Region. Equipped with advanced sensors and payloads, the Sea Guardians will significantly enhance maritime domain awareness, giving the Navy the ability to monitor vast areas and respond swiftly to developments. This becomes even more important now due to the conflict in West Asia and China's increasing forays in the IOR.This leasing arrangement comes alongside India’s larger $3.5 billion deal with the United States to procure 31 MQ‑9B Predator drones under the Foreign Military Sales programme.