Indian Navy is set to get tenth P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, part of the nearly $1 billion deal with the US for four additional planes signed in 2016. As per media reports, P-8I has taken off from the Boeing facility and will land at INS Hansa in Goa to join the ninth P-8I that was delivered to India, last November 2020. INS Hansa will be getting the remaining two that are scheduled to be handed over to India in the coming weeks.
The first batch of 8 P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft are presently stationed at INS Rajali, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu that are extensively used by the eastern command that is responsible for all naval forces in the Bay of Bengal and parts of the Indian Ocean. Four P-8I from INS Hansa will be under Western command which is responsible for the naval forces in the Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
Indian Navy has plans to acquire six more P-8Is with the US under the government-to-government route.
