India Signs MQ-9B Sea Guardian Drone Lease Deal

India’s Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth about Rs 1,943 crore with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. on 17 August 2026. The agreement covers the lease of two MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems for the Indian Navy for 30 months.

MQ-9B Sea Guardian

The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is a High-Altitude Long-Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. It is designed for long-duration maritime and surveillance missions and carries sensors and payloads for monitoring large sea areas.

Lease Arrangement and Naval Use

The Indian Navy will use the two leased drones for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance coverage. The aircraft are intended for Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indian Ocean Region, which is a key operational area for naval monitoring and sea-lane observation.

Previous Indian Navy Drone Leasing

India began leasing the same drone model for naval use in November 2020. One of the leased drones crashed in the Bay of Bengal in September 2024, which is part of the operational history of the platform in Indian service.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Ministry of Defence is the nodal ministry for defence procurement in India.
• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. is a United States defence and aerospace company.
• High-Altitude Long-Endurance aircraft are used for long-duration missions at high operating altitudes.
• Maritime Domain Awareness is a naval concept linked to monitoring activities at sea and along sea lanes.

Contract Signing Venue

The formal signing took place at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi on 17 August 2026. Shri A. Anbarasu, Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) in the Department of Defence, was present at the event.