MoD signs ₹1,943 crore lease for two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for Navy
The Ministry of Defence on 17 August 2026 signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian HALE remotely piloted aircraft systems for the Indian Navy for 30 months.
Summary
The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) on 17 August 2026 for leasing two MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for the Indian Navy for 30 months. The contract is valued at about ₹1,943 crore and was signed at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, in the presence of Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) A. Anbarasu. The ministry said the systems will strengthen the Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness by providing persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) coverage across the Indian Ocean Region.
Key facts
- Aircraft
- 2 MQ-9B Sea Guardian HALE RPAS
- Mode
- Lease, 30 months
- Value
- About ₹1,943 crore
- Vendor
- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI)
- Signed at
- Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi
- Purpose
- Maritime Domain Awareness, ISR over the IOR
Practice MCQs 3 questions
For what period did the Ministry of Defence lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian RPAS for the Indian Navy under the contract signed on 17 August 2026?
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Correct answer: B — 30 months
The contract with GA-ASI is for leasing two MQ-9B Sea Guardian HALE RPAS for 30 months.
The approximate value of the MQ-9B Sea Guardian lease contract signed by the Ministry of Defence on 17 August 2026 is:
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Correct answer: D — ₹1,943 crore
The Ministry of Defence said the contract is valued at approximately ₹1,943 crore.
Consider the following statements about the MQ-9B lease contract of 17 August 2026: 1. The contract was signed with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). 2. The aircraft are High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) remotely piloted systems meant to boost the Navy's Maritime Domain Awareness. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the vendor is GA-ASI, and the MQ-9B Sea Guardian is a HALE RPAS that the ministry said will strengthen Maritime Domain Awareness through persistent ISR coverage.