India Signs $203 Million Deal to Lease Two MQ-9B SeaGuardian Drones for Navy

NEW DELHI — India signed a $203 million contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems on Monday to lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian surveillance drones for the Indian Navy.

The 30-month agreement is valued at 19.43 billion rupees and is intended to strengthen India’s ability to monitor activity across the Indian Ocean region.

Advanced Maritime Surveillance

The high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft can remain airborne for more than 40 hours and provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage over large maritime areas.

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian can perform surface and subsurface tracking and support anti-submarine warfare operations using advanced sensors and payloads.

India Expands Drone Fleet

The new lease follows India’s earlier operation of two leased SeaGuardian drones beginning in 2020.

It is separate from the agreement New Delhi signed in 2024 to purchase 31 armed MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian drones for India’s navy, army and air force.

Archive photo — MQ-9 SeaGuardian maritime-surveillance drone. This is not a photograph of Monday’s contract signing.

Credit: Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe/U.S. Navy
License: Public domain
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Verified August 17, 2026: Reuters⁠ and Times of India⁠. Photo record and license⁠.