Platform profile · India · Armed high-altitude long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft system · Indian Navy; Indian Army and Indian Air Force (on order)
The 31-aircraft FMS contract was signed on October 15, 2024; the separate two-aircraft Navy lease approved by the DAC in December 2025 was signed as a Rs 1,943 crore, 30-month contract on August 17, 2026.
On August 17, 2026, the MoD signed a Rs 1,943 crore, 30-month contract with General Atomics to lease two additional MQ-9B SeaGuardians for the Indian Navy — converting the December 2025 Defence Acquisition Council approval and doubling the leased fleet operated since 2020, separate from the 31-aircraft purchase. India signed the 31-aircraft Foreign Military Sales contract on October 15, 2024 for 15 SeaGuardians for the Navy and eight SkyGuardians each for the Army and Air Force, alongside an India-based depot-level MRO and performance-based logistics arrangement. General Atomics' global chief said in March 2025 that ten aircraft would arrive in flyaway condition and 21 would be assembled in India. Published values conflict: the signed deal has been reported at $3.5-3.8 billion, while the earlier U.S. congressional-notification ceiling was $3.99 billion. The leased precursor fleet also has a nomenclature conflict: General Atomics identifies those aircraft as MQ-9A, while Indian Navy reporting calls them MQ-9B; one ditched in September 2024 and was replaced by February 2025. The acquisition gives India persistent armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage across the Indian Ocean and its land frontiers while creating a domestic sustainment base.
Updated today Updated 17 Aug 2026
Verified figures
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| India acquisition | 31 aircraft: 16 SkyGuardian and 15 SeaGuardian ↗ |
| Service allocation | 15 Indian Navy; 8 Indian Army; 8 Indian Air Force ↗ |
| Wingspan | 24 m (79 ft) ↗ |
| Length | 11.6 m (38 ft) ↗ |
| Powerplant | Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop ↗ |
| Maximum gross take-off weight | 5,670 kg (12,500 lb) ↗ |
| Fuel capacity | 2,722 kg (6,000 lb) ↗ |
| Payload and hardpoints | 363 kg internal; 1,814-2,155 kg external across 9 hardpoints, with current GA-ASI sources differing ↗ |
| Operating altitude | 12,192 m (40,000 ft) ↗ |
| Maximum airspeed | 210 KTAS ↗ |
| SkyGuardian persistence | 40 hours endurance; 6,000 nmi range ↗ |
| SeaGuardian persistence | 30+ hours endurance; 5,000+ nmi range depending on configuration ↗ |
Spec sources: pib.gov.in ↗ · defensenews.com ↗ · ga-asi.com ↗ · ga-asi.com ↗ · ga-asi.com ↗
Changelog
The MoD signed a Rs 1,943 crore, 30-month contract with GA-ASI at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, to lease two additional MQ-9B SeaGuardian HALE RPAS for the Indian Navy, converting the Defence Acquisition Council approval of December 29, 2025 into contract.
Indian media reported that the Defence Acquisition Council approved leasing two additional MQ-9B SeaGuardian aircraft for the Indian Navy within a Rs 79,000 crore package; the official release described the item generically as a high-altitude long-range RPAS lease.
General Atomics Global chief Vivek Lall said 10 of the 31 aircraft would be delivered in flyaway condition and 21 would be assembled in India.
Indian media reported that General Atomics had replaced the leased SeaGuardian lost in September 2024 and that the replacement was operational in the Indian Ocean region.
India signed the government-to-government contract for 31 armed MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian aircraft for the Navy, Army and Air Force.
The Indian and U.S. leaders welcomed progress toward India concluding procurement of 31 MQ-9Bs, comprising 16 SkyGuardians and 15 SeaGuardians.
A leased Indian Navy SeaGuardian suffered a technical failure at about 1400 hours and was deliberately ditched off Chennai; the aircraft was assessed as unsalvageable.
The U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of 31 MQ-9Bs and associated equipment with an estimated ceiling of $3.99 billion.
India and the United States recorded that India had issued its Letter of Request for 31 MQ-9Bs, split between 16 SkyGuardians and 15 SeaGuardians.
The Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for 31 MQ-9Bs through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales route, with an initial U.S. estimate of $3.072 billion subject to negotiation.
General Atomics said the two company-owned, company-operated aircraft leased to the Indian Navy had accumulated 10,000 flight hours; the manufacturer identified them as MQ-9A aircraft.
The first General Atomics company-owned, company-operated MQ-9A leased to the Indian Navy made its maiden flight, beginning the precursor maritime-surveillance deployment.
1 tagged story
The Defence Ministry has signed a 30-month, ₹1,943 crore lease with General Atomics for two additional MQ-9B Sea Guardians — doubling the Navy's rented long-endurance surveillance fleet and bridging the gap until the 31 purchased Predators begin arriving from 2028.
