New Delhi: The Indian Navy has received another MH-60R Seahawk naval helicopter from the US. It was delivered at Kochi last week, and two more are expected to arrive this week, the US Embassy in India said on Friday. The delivery is part of India’s existing 2020 agreement to acquire 24 of these helicopters from the US.
What is the MH-60R Seahawk?
The MH-60R is a maritime, multirole helicopter developed as a naval variant of the Black Hawk. It was originally built by Sikorsky, now a division of Lockheed Martin, and is often referred to by its nickname, “Romeo”.
The aircraft is designed to operate from both warships and shore bases, and is used for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, search and rescue, and medical evacuation. Besides the US Navy, it is operated by several other countries, including Australia, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Greece, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Brazil.
What can it actually do?
For anti-submarine warfare, the helicopter uses dipping sonar, sonobuoys and multi-mode radar to detect submarines, and can engage them using Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes. For surface warfare, it can be armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, machine guns and torpedoes, supported by radar and electro-optical sensors to track and engage surface targets.
The aircraft also features a glass cockpit compatible with night-vision goggles, electronic support measures, missile approach warning systems, an infrared jammer and decoy dispensers. Beyond combat roles, it performs search and rescue, medical evacuation and vertical replenishment missions.
Its ability to operate far ahead of a naval formation effectively extends a warship’s sensor range against underwater threats, a capability the Indian Navy has described as strengthening its presence across the Indian Ocean Region.
How did India acquire these helicopters?
India signed an agreement with the US government in February 2020 to procure 24 MH-60R helicopters, under the foreign military sales route. The deal has been reported at about $2.6bn.
The first two helicopters were formally handed over at a ceremony in San Diego on July 16, 2021, where they were initially used for training Indian Navy crew. The first pair actually arrived in India, at Kochi, on July 28, 2021, with deliveries expected to continue through 2025.
When were the helicopters inducted into service?
The Indian Navy commissioned its first Seahawk squadron, INAS 334, on March 6, 2024, at INS Garuda in Kochi. The Ministry of Defence said at the time that the helicopter would enhance India’s blue-water capabilities and extend the Navy’s operational reach across the Indian Ocean Region.
A second squadron, INAS 335, nicknamed “the Ospreys”, was commissioned on December 17, 2025, at INS Hansa in Goa. Addressing the ceremony, the former chief of the naval staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, said the MH-60R had already proven itself during Operation Sindoor, exercise TROPEX-25, and the Tri-Services Exercise 2025, and that the new squadron was fully operational and ready to deploy with the fleet from day one.
How many helicopters has India received so far?
With the latest delivery, India’s operational MH-60R fleet is expected to rise to 21 helicopters. Of these, 15 are already operational aboard frontline naval warships, while three more remain in the US for pilot training.
After the current batch of deliveries is completed, only three helicopters will remain to be delivered, completing the full 24-aircraft order agreed in 2020.
Why does this delivery matter?
While this is not a new order, it represents continued progress toward completing India’s existing MH-60R fleet, which plays a central role in protecting Indian naval formations, including aircraft carriers, against underwater and surface threats.
The US Embassy in India described the delivery as a sign of the deepening India-US defence partnership. The US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, called it “excellent news for growing US-India defence partnership” in a post on X.