The US had approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 'Romeo' Seahawk helicopters to India at an estimated cost of US $2.4 billion in April last year.
Ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit, the Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday cleared the acquisition of 24 MH-60 Romeo multi-role helicopters worth around US $2.5 billion for the Indian Navy.
The deal to procure 24 anti-submarine helicopters from Lockheed Martin is likely to be signed during Trump's two-day visit to India next week.
As Trump has indicated that a trade deal is unlikely to be signed during his India visit, this could be the only major agreement between the two countries during his trip.
The US had approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 'Romeo' Seahawk helicopters to India at an estimated cost of US $2.4 billion in April last year.
India has been in need of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade as British-made Sea King choppers have now aged.
These advanced maritime choppers will provide the Indian naval forces with the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.
The helicopters are currently operational and deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones. According to its manufacturer Lockheed Martin, MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is the "most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers."
Besides US forces, it is operated by Royal Danish Navy, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces.
In its notification to Congress last year, the Trump administration had said that the multi-mission helicopters will provide the Indian defence forces with the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.
The State Department had told the Congress that this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship.
"The proposed sale will provide India with the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay," said the Congressional notification.
The MH-60R will be deployed on warships to fight submarines and ships and will replace Sea King helicopter which first joined the Indian Navy in July 1971.
India had sent a letter of request to the US for an "urgent requirement" of 24 MH 60 Romeo Seahawk in November 2018.
Defence sources at the time had said that he MH-60 Romeo deal is expected to have an offset requirement.
Sources had indicated that India plans to follow up this urgent requirement with a long-term plan to manufacture 123 of these helicopters in India.
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