Unites States To Supply Six More P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft To India

In a boost for the Indian Navy, United States (US) President Joseph Biden's administration has okayed the proposed sale of six P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to India at an estimated cost of $2.42 billion, reports The Hindu.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had in November 2019 approved the procurement of these aircraft. It should be noted that though the original proposal was to buy ten of these, the same was later brought down to six due to budgetary constraints.

Indian Navy has first procured eight P-8I aircraft from defence and aerospace major Boeing in January 2009 in what was a direct commercial deal. The first of these aircraft was delivered to the Indian Navy in 2013.

Indian Navy signed another deal to purchase four additional P-8I aircraft in July 2016 which the force is presently in the process of inducting four of these planes.

The P-8I aircraft serve as a part of the Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu based 312A Naval Air Squadron of the Indian Navy.