Indian Navy to Lease Two MQ-9B Sea Guardian Drones for Indian Ocean Watch

India's Navy is set to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones to strengthen surveillance operations across the Indian Ocean. The arrangement is aimed at improving maritime domain awareness and the Navy's ability to respond to threats in the region. Separately, India has plans to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from the United States, with part of the assembly to be carried out domestically. The domestic manufacturing component is intended to bolster India's defense production capabilities. Together, these developments reflect a deepening strategic and defense partnership between India and the US.