Aviation News – India has approved the acquisition of six additional Boeing P-8I Neptune aircraft for the Indian Navy, strengthening its long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities across the Indian Ocean, a region of growing strategic competition.
The clearance follows the Defence Acquisition Council’s Acceptance of Necessity and moves the program to the next stage, where the proposal will be reviewed by the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security for final approval. Once endorsed, India will proceed through the Foreign Military Sales process with the United States, negotiating costs, delivery schedules and long-term support packages. The aircraft are built by Boeing and are tailored specifically for Indian requirements.
The P-8I is a customised derivative of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, designed for long-range maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, and surface tracking missions. Equipped with advanced radar, acoustic sensors, sonobuoys and weapons systems, the platform enables persistent patrols over vast ocean areas, helping detect submarines, monitor shipping lanes and support rapid naval response operations.