US defence team heads to India

A team from the US defence department and Boeing executives are expected to visit India next week to negotiate the sale of about $4 billion of surveillance aircraft, officials in New Delhi said, as the two countries seek to revive trade talks.

- BLOOMBERG

India will discuss the purchase of six P-8I naval patrol aircraft, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. The procurement deal was cleared in 2019 but negotiations had subsequently stalled, they said.

New Delhi had purchased eight P-8Is in a $2.2 billion deal in 2009 and another four more a decade later.

The fleet is based out of Tamil Nadu and is used extensively to patrol the Indian Ocean region and maritime choke points.

India's ministry of external affairs and ministry of defence didn't respond to an email seeking further information.