The Indian Navy has successfully inducted 21 out of the 24 MH-60R "Romeo" maritime helicopters ordered from the United States, giving a substantial boost to its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) strength.
Despite this critical addition, the naval forces continue to experience a severe shortage of helicopters for their warships. To quickly overcome this shortfall, reports indicate that the Navy is looking into placing an additional order for more MH-60R aircraft.
Built by Lockheed Martin, the MH-60R Seahawk is globally recognised as a premier multi-mission naval helicopter.
It is purposefully built to execute a variety of operations, including tracking and neutralising submarines and surface vessels, conducting search and rescue missions, and assisting special operations.
Formally inducted into the INAS 334 squadron, these advanced helicopters carry formidable weapons like Mark 54 torpedoes and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, drastically improving the combat readiness of Indian warships patrolling the vital Indian Ocean Region.
Currently, 15 of these state-of-the-art helicopters are actively serving within the Indian Navy's fleet.
Another three are stationed in the United States to facilitate the advanced training of Indian pilots and crew members.
The remaining three are in the process of receiving specialised, India-specific upgrades and certifications before they are cleared for active duty.
Once the initial batch of modifications is complete, the helicopters that are already operational in India will be sent back to the United States in phases.
This rotational upgrade plan guarantees that every helicopter in the 24-aircraft fleet will eventually be tailored to meet the exact tactical requirements of the Indian armed forces.
Military officials have stressed that these upgrades are not intended to fix any flaws in the aircraft.
Rather, they represent a deliberate effort to equip the helicopters with custom indigenous electronic warfare (EW) systems, highly secure communication networks, and weapon systems specific to India's defence strategy.
Furthermore, in late 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed a comprehensive ₹7,995-crore follow-on support agreement with the US to ensure the long-term maintenance, spares provisioning, and operational availability of this newly acquired fleet.
Even with the steady arrival of the MH-60R aircraft, the Indian Navy is grappling with an urgent deficit in multi-role and anti-submarine helicopters.
As the nation's maritime fleet rapidly expands with new frigates and destroyers, the overall requirement for such helicopters is estimated to exceed 100 units.
To swiftly fill this operational void while domestic helicopter manufacturing projects are still in development, the Navy is actively exploring a follow-on purchase of the MH-60R.
Acquiring more of an aircraft that is already deeply integrated into the Navy's logistics and operational framework would provide a rapid and highly effective solution to India's maritime defence needs.
