7 months ago
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India connected Friday (November 28, 2025) sealed a ₹7,995-crore woody with the U.S. arsenic portion of “follow connected support” bundle for Indian Navy's fleet of 24 Seahawk helicopters for 5 years.
The signing of the declaration came amid strain successful ties betwixt the 2 countries aft U.S. President Donald Trump slapped a whopping 50% tariffs connected Indian goods successful precocious August.
The Defence Ministry said it signed Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) with the U.S. for sustained enactment of the MH-60R chopper fleet done follow-on enactment and proviso for 5 years astatine an approximate worth of ₹7,995 crore.
MH-60R, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation, is an all-weather chopper designed to enactment aggregate missions with authorities of the creation avionics and sensors.
The LOAs were inked nether the overseas subject income programme of the U.S.
India had signed an statement with the U.S. for procurement of 24 MH-60Rs successful February 2020. The MH-60R Seahawk is simply a maritime variant of the Blackhawk helicopter.
The sustainment enactment is simply a broad bundle which includes provisioning of spares, enactment equipment, merchandise support, grooming and method support, repair and replenishment of components, according to the Ministry.
It besides provides for mounting up of intermediate-level constituent repairs and periodic attraction inspection facilities successful India for the choppers.
“In-country improvement of these facilities volition guarantee capableness build-up successful the agelong tally and reduced dependence connected the U.S. government, frankincense aligning with the imaginativeness of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the Ministry said.
“This would further pb to indigenous merchandise and services improvement done MSMEs (Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) and different Indian firms,” it said successful a statement.
The Defence Ministry said sustainment enactment would importantly heighten the operational availability and maintainability of the MH-60R helicopters, which besides person anti-submarine warfare capability.
“In addition, the enactment would alteration the cognition of these helicopters from dispersed locations arsenic good arsenic ships, ensuring optimal show during each their superior and secondary missions,” it said.
The archetypal 3 MH-60R helicopters were delivered to India successful 2021.
