WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $131 million sale of maritime surveillance technology and support services to India, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Wednesday.
The proposed Foreign Military Sale includes the SeaVision maritime domain awareness software and associated services, such as training by a Technical Assistance Field Team, remote analytical support, documentation access, and related logistical and programmatic elements. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency formally notified Congress of the sale earlier in the day.
According to the State Department, the sale will “improve India’s capabilities to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical abilities, and strategic posture.”
The package is designed to enhance India’s ability to detect and track vessels across its vast maritime borders, a capability critical to addressing growing security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region. The department emphasized that the deal aligns with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives, reinforcing the strategic partnership with India—a designated Major Defense Partner.
“This sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner,” the department said in a statement.
The principal contractor for the sale will be Hawkeye 360, a Virginia-based private company that operates a network of satellites in low Earth orbit. Hawkeye 360’s technology specializes in detecting radio frequency (RF) signals emitted by ships, aircraft, and coastal systems—even those attempting to avoid detection by turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS).
This capability is particularly useful for identifying “dark” vessels, which pose challenges in contested or high-risk maritime zones. Using a multi-layered sensing approach—including Electro-Optical (EO) imaging, Infrared (IR) thermal detection, and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)—Hawkeye 360’s system can determine the location, size, and speed of vessels while flagging suspicious activity like repeated AIS blackouts.
Officials noted that the sale would not alter the military balance in the region, nor would it require U.S. personnel to be stationed in India. No offset agreements have been proposed, though such arrangements could emerge during negotiations between the Indian government and the contractor.
The deal comes as Washington and New Delhi seek to deepen security cooperation in response to shared concerns about regional stability and maritime threats in the Indo-Pacific.
