Alongside the confirmation that it will move forward with the purchase of 114 new Rafale fighter jets, India has also given the green light to the acquisition of six additional P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from the United States. These aircraft will be integrated into the Navy’s capabilities under the designation “Neptune,” complementing the platforms already in service. According to the official communication from the Ministry of Defense, the acquisition is part of a package requested by the service that also includes 4 MW gas turbine–based power generators, as well as electro-optical and infrared systems to equip Dornier aircraft operated by the Coast Guard for surveillance missions.
Referring to these matters, the Indian government stated: “For the Indian Navy, the AoN (Editor’s note: the so-called Acceptance of Necessity) was authorized for a 4 MW gas turbine–based electric power generator and a P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (…) The acquisition of P8I aircraft will significantly boost the Navy’s combat capability in long-range anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, and maritime strike capability.” In the case of the turbines, it was indicated that they were acquired with the objective of ensuring energy self-sufficiency for the Navy, reducing dependence on other foreign suppliers.
It should also be recalled that the recent confirmation issued by the ministry brings an end to the program’s suspension decided by New Delhi due to the significant increase in associated costs, mainly attributed to tariff increases imposed by Washington following Donald Trump’s arrival to the presidency. As indicated in previous reports, the operation had registered costs of up to 50% more than originally planned, requiring a thorough review of the agreement. In those initial stages, specifically in 2021, India was prepared to invest approximately USD 2.42 billion in the project under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
With the purchase now confirmed, it is also worth highlighting that India will be able to boast a fleet composed of a total of 18 P-8I Poseidon aircraft, considering the existence of a significant fleet of 12 aircraft already operational. Of these existing capabilities, eight were contracted in 2009 and began to be delivered between 2013 and 2015, while the delivery of the remaining units was completed in 2021. Since then, the role of these platforms has primarily been to conduct surveillance missions over Chinese movements in the Indian Ocean and maritime routes in the Strait of Malacca.
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