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US approves $131 mn arms deal with India to boost Indo-Pacific vigilance

The United States has approved a potential $131 million foreign military sale to India aimed at significantly enhancing its maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific, a move seen as deepening defence ties amid rising strategic challenges in the region. Announced by the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Wednesday, the deal includes the delivery of advanced SeaVision software, designed to enhance real-time maritime surveillance, along with technical training, analytic support, and other logistics services. 'The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness and related equipment,' the DSCA said in a statement, confirming that it had also notified Congress of the proposed sale. India's request includes SeaVision software enhancements, access to system documentation, remote analytic assistance, and the deployment of a Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT) for training purposes. The principal contractor is expected to be Hawkeye 360, a space-based radio frequency data analytics company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. The US Department of State posted on social media platform X, saying, 'State Dept authorises a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case for India to purchase Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness software and related equipment for an estimated cost of $131 million.' In its official release, the DSCA stated that the proposed sale would support US foreign policy and national security objectives by reinforcing its strategic relationship with India, designated a major defence partner. 'The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical capabilities, and strategic posture,' the agency said, adding that the sale would not alter the basic military balance in the region. The move comes at a time when India has been investing heavily in strengthening its coastal defences and naval reach amid growing Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean and broader Indo-Pacific corridor. The SeaVision system is expected to help India improve tracking of maritime assets, detect illicit activity, and enhance joint maritime operations with partner countries. India and the US are also engaged in bilateral trade agreement talks. India is expected to be the first nation to secure new trade terms with the Trump administration following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs by the US president on April 2.