India adds more eyes over the Indian Ocean

New Delhi: The defence ministry signed a ₹1,943 crore contract with US firm General Atomics on Monday to lease two additional MQ-9B SeaGuardian high-altitude long endurance (HALE) drones for the Indian Navy that will be tasked with long distance maritime patrolling and surveillance.The drones will add to two similar systems that have been taken on lease in the past and are currently in service. General Atomics will be responsible for the upkeep and operational availability of the drones during the 30-month lease period.133304722Also Read: On surveillance mission, MQ-9B Sea Guardian drone encounters 'technical failure'Officials said that the MQ-9B SeaGuardian HALE, equipped with advanced systems, state-of-the-art sensors and sophisticated payloads, will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's maritime domain awareness capabilities.The systems will provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage over vast areas of the maritime domain, strengthening India's ability to monitor and respond to developments across the Indian Ocean Region, they added.India has now taken a total of four MQ-9Bs on lease from the US. The navy is waiting for the delivery of 31 drones of the same type that it had ordered in October 2024. The $4 billion deal for the drones includes a contract for performance-based logistics for these remotely piloted aircraft systems through depot level maintenance, repair and overhaul in India.. The first batch of these drones is expected to arrive by next year.Also Read: India set for $2-billion drone order in biggest buy, industry body says133304735After they are inducted, the MQ-9Bs will operate from three planned hubs, including INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu, from where two of the drones leased by the navy already operate. The other hubs are expected to come up in northern India and the northeast.