Six more P-8Is coming: India and US set to seal $4 billion deal for Navy

A high-level United States defence delegation has arrived in New Delhi to hold meetings on major defence procurements, including the finalisation of a $4 billion deal for six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy. The delegation is in India between September 16 and 19 for negotiations.

The team includes representatives from the US Department of Defence, Boeing, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Navy International Programs Office (NIPO), the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA 290), and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

India already operates 12 P-8I aircraft and is seeking six more to strengthen surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region. Approval for the additional six P-8Is was granted in 2019 and cleared by the US State Department in 2021.

The P-8I aircraft can operate at altitudes up to 41,000 feet, has a range of 8,300 km per sortie, and is armed with anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, torpedoes, and anti-submarine warfare charges. The expansion of India’s fleet comes amid growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, driving New Delhi’s focus on maritime dominance.

Meanwhile, trade negotiations between the two countries are also on the table. Brendan Lynch, the Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, is in India for a one-day discussion on the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement. "Tomorrow's talks will be a precursor to the sixth round of negotiations," an official said on Monday.

Five rounds of talks on the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) have already been held. The sixth round, originally scheduled for August 25–29, was postponed after Washington imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. India’s exports have been hit by the move, with shipments to the US registering significant declines.

Lynch oversees US trade policy with 15 countries across South and Central Asia. His mandate includes managing the US-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF) and coordinating activity under Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) with regional partners.