US delegation to visit India for negotiating aircraft deal

By R Anil Kumar

• A US delegation will visit India next week to negotiate the sale of six P-8I maritime patrol aircraft amid efforts to mend strained bilateral ties

• A US delegation will visit India to negotiate a $4 billion deal for six P-8I maritime aircraft for the Indian Navy

• The American team, comprising senior officials of the defence department and Boeing, the manufacturer of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft already in service with the Indian Navy, will visit at a time when senior officials of the Trump administration have repeatedly excoriated India for buying Russian military hardware

Bengaluru. A US delegation is set to visit India next week for negotiations on selling six more P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to the Indian military as background contacts continue between the two sides to get bilateral relations back on track after a trade row.

The American team, comprising senior officials of the defence department and Boeing, the manufacturer of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft already in service with the Indian Navy, will visit at a time when senior officials of the Trump administration have repeatedly excoriated India for buying Russian military hardware.

While US President Donald Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods by imposing a 25% punitive levy over Russian oil purchases has led to strains in bilateral ties not witnessed in almost two decades, signs have emerged of the two sides working to repair the relationship. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump had their second positive exchange on social media in four days, with both leaders pointing to the early conclusion of trade negotiations.

The delegation from the US defence department and Boeing will visit Delhi during September 16-19 for detailed discussions on the current offer to the Indian government on procuring six P-8I aircraft.

The delegation will include senior US officials handling relations with India from the office of the undersecretary of defence for policy, Navy International Programs Office (NIPO), Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA 290), and Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

NIPO oversees global maritime partnerships by focusing on export and transfer of capabilities that support the strategic security interests of the US, while PMA 290 manages the acquisition, support and delivery of maritime patrol aircraft.

While the final cost of the six aircraft will be hammered out during negotiations, the people said the deal will be in the range of about $4 billion.

The navy has a fleet of 12 P-8I planes, split into two squadrons operating from Arakkonam and Goa. These planes were bought in two batches, eight under a $2.2-billion deal in 2009 and four more in 2016, to sharpen the navy’s anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities.

The aircraft were also used in an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) role during the Doklam and Ladakh standoffs with China. India and fellow Quad member Australia, which too operates the P-8, have conducted joint exercises and maritime surveillance patrols with the aircraft to forge inter-operability.

When Modi and Trump met in Washington on February 13, a joint statement issued by the two sides had spoken of the two sides expecting the “completion of procurement for six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to enhance India’s maritime surveillance reach”. In the months since then, the Trump administration has pushed the Indian side to purchase more American military equipment.

“Some of the things the US is offering, such as the F-35 combat jets, are unsuitable for Indian needs. The P-8I is a good fit as the navy already operates the aircraft and it has proved its worth in an ISR role.”

The institutional contacts between India and the US that had continued despite the trade row, including a visit of an American team for talks under the Defence Policy Group mechanism and virtual talks between senior officials of the defence and foreign ministries under the 2+2 mechanism, with the focus was on getting the overall relationship back on track.

The Indian PM’s recent visit to China, his first in seven years, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and images of Modi in the company of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are understood to be a factor behind the recent change in the Trump administration’s approach.

The US deputy assistant secretary for defence for South Asia, Andrew Byers, visited India during August 16-20 for meetings in the defence external affairs ministries, while Alka Patel, senior adviser in the US state department’s cyber and digital policy bureau travelled to New Delhi during September 6-12 for talks aimed at taking forward initiatives such as the AI Roadmap. John Tengalia, the principal director for defence pricing and contacting, too visited India in July to discuss a proposed reciprocal defence procurement agreement.

Though Russia continues to account for nearly 60% of the inventory of India’s armed forces, the US has become a key supplier of sophisticated systems over the past two decades.

Since 2008, India has contracted for US military equipment worth at least $24 billion, including C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, Apache attack helicopters, CH-47F Chinook helicopters, M777 howitzers, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and MQ-9B drones.

The US designated India as a “major defence partner” in 2016, giving the country licence-free access to a range of military and dual-use technologies.

The US has signed three so-called foundational agreements with India – Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) and Industrial Security Agreement (ISA) – that are required for bolstering defence cooperation.

As the trade row worsened in recent weeks, the Indian side has sought to focus on the long-term relationship and areas of convergence with the US, such as collaboration on defence and security assiduously built up in the past two decades.

The external affairs ministry said India is committed to take forward ties with the US on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests, and there were several defence-related engagements and the Yudh Abhyas military exercise in August.

At the same time, India has defended its purchases of Russian oil and military hardware, saying such procurements are based on energy security and national security interests.

A $4 Billion Deal on the Table: Can P-8I Aircraft Negotiations Mend US-India Relations?

The move aims to strengthen defence ties amid ongoing trade tensions and US criticism of India’s Russian arms purchases.

A high-level US delegation is set to visit New Delhi next week to negotiate the sale of six additional P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to the Indian Navy, a deal estimated to be worth around $4 billion. The visit signals a concerted effort by both nations to steady a bilateral relationship recently strained by a trade row and US criticism of India’s defence purchases from Russia.

Why is This US Delegation Visiting India Now?

The delegation, comprising senior officials from the US Department of Defense and aerospace giant Boeing, will visit from September 16 to 19. This trip comes at a delicate time in US-India relations.

US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose punitive tariffs on Indian goods over its purchases of Russian oil has created tensions “not witnessed in almost two decades.” Senior Trump administration officials have also repeatedly criticized India for its continued procurement of Russian military hardware.

However, recent positive exchanges between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump on social media, pointing to the early conclusion of trade negotiations, suggest both sides are working to repair the relationship. This defence deal is a key pillar of that effort.

What is the Significance of the P-8I Aircraft?

The P-8I Poseidon is a state-of-the-art maritime patrol aircraft manufactured by Boeing. The Indian Navy already operates a fleet of 12 P-8I planes, which have become a cornerstone of its maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The aircraft have proven their strategic value:

• They were used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) during the Doklam and Ladakh standoffs with China.
• They have enhanced interoperability with fellow Quad member Australia, which also operates the P-8, through joint exercises and patrols.
• The navy’s existing familiarity with the platform makes it, as one source said, “a good fit” for India’s needs.

Who is in the Delegation and What Will They Discuss?

The American team is a high-powered group, indicating the seriousness of the negotiations. It includes officials from:

• The office of the undersecretary of defence for policy.
• The Navy International Programs Office (NIPO), which focuses on exports supporting US strategic interests.
• The Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA-290), which manages aircraft acquisition.
• The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

Their goal is to hold detailed discussions on the current offer for the six aircraft and to hammer out the final cost and terms of the deal.

How Does This Fit into the Broader US-India Defence Relationship?

Despite the recent trade dispute, institutional defence contacts have continued uninterrupted. Meetings held under the Defence Policy Group and the 2+2 ministerial mechanisms fall under this category.

The US has become a key supplier of sophisticated defence equipment to India over the past two decades, with contracts worth at least $24 billion since 2008. In 2016, the US labeled India a “Major Defence Partner,” paving the way for the two countries to sign crucial defense agreements like LEMOA, COMCASA, and ISA.

This P-8I deal was specifically mentioned in a joint statement during PM Modi’s visit to Washington in February, highlighting its importance to both nations’ strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

While Russia remains India’s largest defence supplier, this negotiation underscores India’s strategy of diversifying its sources and deepening ties with the US, focusing on long-term convergence in defence and security despite short-term trade disagreements.

India, US natural partners, both sides working to conclude trade deal: PM Modi in response to Trump’s overtures

As reported earlier, in India Strategic,Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in response to US President Donald Trump’s remarks that efforts are on to address “trade barriers” between the two countries, that, India and the US are natural partners and teams from both sides are working to conclude negotiations on a bilateral trade deal.

The exchange between the two leaders on social media is largely seen as part of efforts by both New Delhi and Washington to reset their ties that witnessed increasing stress in the last few weeks after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods.

The US president said he was looking forward to speaking to Modi in the “upcoming weeks” and sounded confident that both sides would be able to seal the proposed trade deal.

“India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership,” PM Modi had said on X.

“Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people,” Trump had said.

In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, September 9, Trump said he was pleased to announce that India and the US are continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers.

“I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!” he said.

Trump also reposted Modi’s comments on Truth Social.

There have been indications that both sides have a series of diplomatic engagements in the next few days including a visit by a high-level US delegation to India to negotiate final contours of an order from the Indian Navy to procure an additional batch of P-8I long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft.

The latest Modi-Trump exchanges were their second in the last four days.

On September 6, Modi “deeply” appreciated Trump’s “positive assessment” of India-US partnership after the American leader hailed the “special” relationship between the two nations and said there is “nothing to worry about”.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.

India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.

Consequently, from a mere 1.7 per cent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia’s share increased to 35.1 per cent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India.

Over the last few weeks, India-US ties witnessed severe strain after over two-decades of close cooperation.

The tension began after the negotiations for a trade deal hit a roadblock.

Trump’s repeated claims that he resolved the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May also added pressure to the relations.

India has been maintaining that the conflict ended following direct talks between the two sides.

Over the last few months, India and the US held several rounds of negotiations for a bilateral trade deal but it could not be sealed in view of sharp divergences in certain critical areas including agriculture and dairy.