India Leases Two MQ-9B Sea Guardians for Indian Navy

The two MQ-9B Sea Guardians will come equipped with advanced systems, modern sensors and sophisticated payloads suited to maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions.

India's Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems for the Indian Navy, giving the service additional capacity to maintain surveillance across large stretches of the country's maritime surroundings.

The 30-month lease is valued at approximately ₹1,943 crore and was signed on August 17, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi. Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition), Department of Defence, A. Anbarasu was present for the signing.

Sea Guardians to Strengthen Maritime Surveillance

The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is designed for long-duration operations at high altitude, allowing the remotely piloted aircraft to remain over large maritime areas and gather information using advanced sensors and specialised payloads. These capabilities are expected to give the Indian Navy a wider and more persistent picture of activity at sea, particularly across areas where continuous monitoring requires considerable operational resources.

Persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) coverage can help naval commanders track developments across wide distances, improve situational awareness and obtain timely information needed for maritime operations.

Indian Ocean Region Remains a Key Operational Focus

The leased aircraft will strengthen the Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness capabilities across the Indian Ocean Region, an extensive maritime space where commercial shipping routes, naval movements and other activities make reliable surveillance increasingly important.

High-endurance remotely piloted systems can cover vast areas for extended periods without many of the limitations associated with shorter-duration aerial surveillance missions. Information collected by their sensors can support the Navy in identifying and assessing developments at sea, giving decision-makers a clearer understanding of activity across areas of operational interest.

Advanced Sensors Expand Navy's ISR Capability

The two MQ-9B Sea Guardians will come equipped with advanced systems, modern sensors and sophisticated payloads suited to maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions. Their addition under the 30-month lease gives the Indian Navy access to another layer of persistent aerial surveillance while strengthening its ability to observe developments and respond when required.

The ₹1,943-crore agreement also underlines the growing role of remotely piloted aircraft in maritime security, where endurance, sensor reach and the ability to maintain surveillance across distant waters have become important parts of modern naval operations.