PM Modi gives nod to mega arms deal by US to keep an eye on Chinese forays in the Indian Ocean

India has struck yet another mega arms deal with its largest weapons supplier, the US recently. As per Defence Ministry sources, the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a nod to the acquisition of four Poseidon-8I longrange surveillance and antisubmarine warfare aircraft.

The deal has been sealed at a cost of over $1 billion, and the contract will be inked with Boeing in the next few days. This will be an addition to the ongoing Navy ops to keep an vigil over the Indian Ocean Region, which has witnessed stepped-up Chinese submarine forays over the last two years.

By virtue of the deal, four new P-8I aircraft will join the first eight such aircraft inducted by the Navy in 2013-2015 under a $2.1 billion deal.

They are packed with radars and weapons

They have an operating range of 1,200 nautical miles

They provide the reach and flexibility to undertake extensive maritime surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions.

They can detect "threats" in India's immediate and extended areas of interest and neutralise them if required.

Notably, the CCS approval comes after the defence ministry also cleared acquisition of 145 M-777 ultra-light howitzers from the US only last week.