India to Acquire Six More Boeing P-8I Neptune Aircraft from US, Raising Regional Tensions

New Delhi / Islamabad: India is going to buy six more Boeing P-8I Neptune long-range maritime patrol aircraft from the US. Pakistan is closely following the Indian government's decision. Pakistani think tanks say that India's move reflects its ever-expanding and changing policy in the Indian Ocean. India is buying these aircraft at a time when the number of submarines is steadily increasing, the rivalry between major powers has intensified, and the critical sea lanes have become very sensitive. Together, these are shaping up to be a strategic challenge that extends from the Malacca Strait to the Arabian Sea. Pakistan's Islamabad-based think tank CISS has written that India is going to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets that will be worth around $40 billion. Also, the decision to buy P-8I aircraft shows that New Delhi now has a long-range maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, and anti-aircraft (ASW) capabilities with the Indian Air Force equally important across the maritime horizon.