A collaboration has been formed to jointly produce sonobuoys, which are crucial for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), marking a significant step forward in India-US defence cooperation. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced the agreement during his visit to New Delhi on January 6, 2025. The arrangement is between Ultra Maritime, a US-based business, and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), an Indian defence public sector organisation. Together, they will manufacture sonobuoys that satisfy US Navy requirements, increasing the Indian Navy’s operating capabilities in the strategically important Indian Ocean area.
The sonobuoys will be made in India as part of the “Make in India” project, which seeks to boost local defence manufacturing and self-reliance. This program is consistent with India’s overall security policy of strengthening its military capabilities in the face of increased regional challenges, notably from Chinese naval actions.
The sonobuoys created as a result of this collaboration are intended to work best in the Indian Ocean’s distinct acoustic environment. They will include multi-static active technologies that will considerably increase submarine detection capabilities for both the Indian and United States Navy.
The sonobuoys will be interoperable with both navies’ systems, such as the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and MH-60R helicopters. This interoperability is critical for joint operations and strengthens India-US defence cooperation.
This partnership represents not just a technological leap, but also the strengthening of geopolitical ties between India and the United States. It emphasises both countries’ commitment to improving maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, especially in light of China’s increased submarine activities. The combined manufacturing venture is designed to boost India’s ASW capabilities and promote regional stability.
The collaboration is part of a wider framework created by the United States-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging technology (iCET), which aims to promote cooperative development of sophisticated defence technology. This action is viewed as a critical step towards converting the defence cooperation into a more comprehensive collaboration that handles common security problems.
As global security dynamics shift, our partnership on sonobuoys marks a watershed moment in US-India defence relations, laying the groundwork for future joint efforts in military technology and industrial capacities.
