TSAMTO, September 17th. India and the United States are resuming previously suspended negotiations on defense cooperation, under which the Indian Navy may purchase 6 additional P-8I Neptun BPA aircraft with a potential value of up to $4 billion.
According to sources of the India Today TV channel, the American delegation arrived in New Delhi on September 15, and will stay in the country until the end of the week to discuss issues of defense cooperation and the sale of additional P-8I. The delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Command of the US Navy, the Defense Cooperation Agency (DSCA), and other structures.
The meeting is being held at a time when both sides are trying to stabilize strained trade relations and simultaneously develop cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. It is expected that the terms of sale and various technical issues will be clarified during the negotiations.
Currently, the Indian Armed Forces already have 12 P-8I aircraft in service, purchased since 2009. Stationed primarily at the Rajali Airbase, the P-8I aircraft provide patrols of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and regularly fly to the Strait of Malacca. The aircraft are used to detect submarines, monitor foreign reconnaissance vessels, monitor sea routes, and support search and rescue operations.
The delivery of 6 additional aircraft will provide India with the ability to simultaneously control several regions. The available 12 aircraft are estimated to be insufficient for crisis management operations in different theaters of war, and 18 aircraft will provide almost continuous monitoring of tanker routes in the Arabian Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as patrolling the Mozambique Strait during periods of tension.
In addition to the delivery of new P-8I aircraft, the Indian Navy plans to strengthen patrols with the MQ-9B UAVs, which should be received by 2029.
US President Donald Trump recently announced his desire to resume negotiations after disagreements over trade duties and New Delhi's cooperation with Moscow in the energy sector.
For Washington, the deal with the P-8I is important for several reasons, including the sale of a proven high-tech system with high cost, reducing the US trade deficit with India, as well as further reducing the binding of the Indian Armed Forces to Russian-made weapons systems.
As reported by CAMTO, the Indian government signed a basic contract worth about 2.1 billion dollars, providing for the supply of 8 P-8I Neptune aircraft in January 2009. In July 2016, the Indian Defense Ministry exercised an option to supply four additional P-8I Neptune worth $1.1 billion. To date, all aircraft have been delivered and since 2013 they have been operating mainly from the Rajali airbase (Arakonam, pcs.Tamil Nadu).
In April 2021, the US State Department approved the potential supply of 6 more P-8I basic patrol aircraft, as well as related equipment and services, to India under the Foreign Military Sales program.
