Indian Navy MQ-9B SeaGuardian Ordered

India signed a 19.43 billion rupee (203 million dollar) contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems on 17 August 2026 for the lease of two additional MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft for the Indian Navy, concluded at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi for a term of 30 months. The high-altitude long-endurance aircraft are configured for maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and are intended to work alongside the Navy's P-8I Neptune patrol aircraft over the Indian Ocean. They join the two SeaGuardians the service has flown on lease since November 2020 under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated arrangement that has been extended several times, taking the leased fleet to four. Reported basing candidates include INS Rajali near Chennai, Porbandar in Gujarat, and Sarsawa and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The lease bridges the gap until deliveries begin in 2029 under the 31-aircraft MQ-9B purchase India signed with the United States in October 2024, of which the Navy is to receive 15.