India and the U.S. have announced a groundbreaking partnership to co-produce sonobuoys, advanced technology used for detecting submarines underwater. These systems will be assembled in India, with the aim of establishing an operational production line by 2027, according to Ultra Maritime (UM), the U.S. company involved in the project. The final assembly of these U.S.-specification sonobuoys will be conducted in India, with co-production efforts carried out in partnership with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a state-owned defense company.
This groundbreaking partnership was announced following the visit of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to India last week. The announcement highlights the growing collaboration between the two countries, particularly in defense technologies like Undersea Domain Awareness, which is crucial for tracking submarines in deep waters. Ultra Maritime has confirmed that the sonobuoys co-produced in India will be compatible with various platforms, including the P-8 aircraft, and will be interoperable with the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy, and allied aircraft like the MH-60R and MQ-9B Sea Guardian.
Ultra Maritime, a global leader in undersea warfare technology, has pledged to collaborate with BDL to enhance sonobuoy technologies, optimizing their acoustic performance for the distinct conditions of the Indian Ocean. In addition to this, they plan to incorporate Indian suppliers into their global supply chain. The partnership aligns with the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies, which was launched in 2022 to foster collaboration in military and technological advancements.
India’s focus on undersea domain awareness comes at a time when China is significantly expanding its naval presence in the region. The Indian Navy has already made considerable progress in enhancing its maritime surveillance capabilities, acquiring platforms like the P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, and is also investing in advanced sensor technologies for ocean bed surveillance. Furthermore, the Navy’s recent contracts, including the purchase of 31 MQ-9B Sea Guardians, reflect the strategic importance of these technologies for national security.
