India inks pact to purchase four P-8I maritime patrol aircraft worth $1 bn from Boeing

INDIA on Wednesday inked a follow-on order worth $1 billion for four P-8I (Poseidon Eight India) long-range maritime patrol aircraft from US aerospace major Boeing.

According to sources, the deal was signed at the end of discussion between under secretary of defence for acquisition, technology and logistics Frank Kendall, who was here for the joint technology group meeting with defence secretary G Mohan Kumar, his Indian counterpart.

The representatives of Boeing along with other big USdefencecompaniessuchas General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Raytheon are here and had interacted with the industry captains in New Delhi. The US undersecretary is here to review theexistingtransfersandidentifynewhigh-endtechnologies to strengthen New Delhi’s military capabilities.

TheP-8Iaircraftisavariant of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft that Boeing developed as a replacement for the US Navy's ageing P-3 fleet and has been procuredthroughadirectcommercial sale. The Harpoon missile was acquired under a separate agreement with the USgovernmentunderitsForeign Military Sales (FMS) programme. With these aircraft, India's long-range maritime snooping and anti-subhavereceivedabigboost. marine warfare capabilities