Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, May 1: In a significant move aimed at bolstering maritime surveillance capabilities, the United States has approved the sale of Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) software and related systems to India, valued at approximately USD 131 million.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Trump Administration, which stated that the sale aligns with the strategic vision of enhancing India’s role as a stabilising force in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions.

As part of this deal, India will receive the SeaVision software, including customised enhancements, to improve its maritime tracking and analytical capabilities. The software is designed to help nations monitor vessels in real time, strengthening maritime domain awareness and overall security.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship,” said the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in a formal notification to the US Congress. It also emphasised that the deal would not disrupt the military balance in the region.

The contract will be executed by Hawkeye 360, a Virginia-based space-based radio frequency data analytics company that has emerged as a key player in maritime and aerial intelligence.

The DSCA further stated that India will have no difficulty absorbing the system into its current defence infrastructure and that the purchase will enhance its preparedness against both present and emerging threats in regional waters.

The software package comes at a time when India is ramping up its maritime readiness amidst rising geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific, particularly concerning freedom of navigation, piracy deterrence, and surveillance of suspicious maritime activity.

The sale underlines the deepening defence partnership between the two democracies, both of which share common concerns about ensuring free, open, and rules-based maritime corridors.