Indian MQ-9B drone leased from US crashes in Bay of Bengal

An Indian Navy surveillance drone crashed in the Bay of Bengal.

The MQ-9B drone, leased from the United States, was reportedly on an intelligence and surveillance mission when it crashed into the Bay of Bengal near Chennai.

The incident occurred in a vast area of the Indian Ocean, where the drone had been deployed for reconnaissance purposes.

According to sources, the drone was controlled from the Indian Navy’s base in Tamil Nadu, but the reasons for the crash have not been disclosed.

The purpose of the drone was to monitor critical areas of the Indian Ocean for India, a region of strategic importance.

The Indian Navy has been using these drones to monitor activity in the Indian Ocean Region, keeping track of Chinese military and intelligence ships, as well as conducting anti-piracy operations and addressing other threats.

The MQ-9B is one of the latest drones in use by the Indian Navy and was intended to enhance intelligence operations in the vast maritime expanse.

Indian defence officials have yet to comment on the potential operational impacts of the crash or whether similar drones will be deployed to fill the gap.

US-based General Atomics is expected to swiftly replace the MQ-9B Predator drone to continue fulfilling the Indian Navy's surveillance mission requirements outlined in their contract.

Under the lease agreement between the Indian Navy and the US firm, a set number of flight hours must be completed each month to meet operational demands, which requires more than a single drone. Defence officials informed that the crashed drone will need to be replaced to comply with the contract.

The Indian Navy had entered into a lease with General Atomics following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, under the Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO) model.