India Signs ₹7,995 Crore Deal With US To Sustain Navy’s MH-60R Helicopters

New Delhi | The Eastern Times:
India has signed a major ₹7,995 crore (USD 894 million) agreement with the United States to provide long-term sustainment and support for the Indian Navy’s MH-60R multi-mission helicopters. The pact, finalised under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework, aims to significantly boost the fleet’s operational availability and strengthen Indo-US defence cooperation.

🔵 What the Agreement Covers

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that two Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) were signed for:

Follow-on Supply Support (FSS)
Follow-on Support (FS)

These include a comprehensive package of:

Critical spares and support equipment
Component repair and replacement
Technical assistance and training
Establishment of intermediate-level repair and Periodic Maintenance Inspection (PMI) facilities in India
Strengthening the long-term sustainment infrastructure for the MH-60R fleet

The agreement was formalised in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

🔵 Why This Matters

The new sustainment pact delivers multiple strategic advantages:

Ensures high mission readiness of India’s front-line MH-60R helicopters
Deepens operational cooperation between India and the United States
Reduces India’s dependency on foreign maintenance hubs
Boosts Aatmanirbhar Bharat by promoting local MRO capabilities and expanding opportunities for Indian defence MSMEs
Enhances India’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region

🔵 About the MH-60R Seahawk

Dubbed the “Knight Rider of the Seas,” the MH-60R is one of the world’s most advanced naval helicopters, capable of:

Anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
Anti-surface warfare (ASuW)
Search and rescue
Surveillance and reconnaissance
Special operations support

India began receiving the helicopters in 2021 as part of a 24-helicopter procurement meant to replace ageing naval platforms.

🔵 Strengthening Maritime Defence

With the Indian Navy expanding its presence across the Indian Ocean, the sustainment of MH-60R helicopters is seen as critical to maintaining maritime dominance. The pact ensures faster turnaround times, improved logistic support, and higher mission reliability across all naval operations.

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