In a significant development for the defense cooperation between India and the United States, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced on January 6, 2025, a first-of-its-kind partnership between US-based Ultra Maritime and India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). This collaboration, which involves the co-production of US sonobuoys to US Navy standards, marks a major milestone in the ongoing strengthening of military ties between the two nations. The partnership will play a pivotal role in enhancing undersea domain awareness in the Indian Ocean—a region of growing strategic importance.
The initiative was unveiled during the farewell visit to New Delhi, where Sullivan stressed its significance within the broader framework of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), launched in May 2022. The initiative aims to facilitate the joint development of advanced defense technologies and deepen collaboration between the two countries in the defense sector.
Ultra Maritime, a global leader in undersea warfare technology, has teamed up with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), an Indian Defense Public Sector Undertaking, to meet the operational needs of the Indian Navy. Under this partnership, sonobuoys—devices critical for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)—will be co-produced in both the United States and India, in line with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
A Win for Strategic Cooperation and ‘Make in India’
This joint production of sonobuoys is a notable step forward in the India-US defense collaboration, which has grown substantially in recent years. The arrangement supports India’s “Make in India” campaign, as the sonobuoys will be manufactured locally at BDL’s facilities in Vishakhapatnam, India. This is expected to not only boost India’s defense self-reliance but also enhance the operational readiness of the Indian Navy in its critical missions, including anti-submarine warfare.
Ultra Maritime’s CEO, Carlo Zaffanella, highlighted the company’s commitment to the Indian Navy: “The announcement today reflects Ultra Maritime’s commitment to the Indian Navy in partnering with Bharat Dynamics Limited for the production and delivery of world-class sonobuoys,” he said. “Our resolute commitment is to continue developing forward-leaning solutions to unique undersea challenges.”
Advancing Undersea Domain Awareness
The sonobuoys developed through this partnership are designed to optimize acoustic performance in the unique conditions of the Indian Ocean. With a focus on multi-static active solutions, these sonobuoys will significantly improve the ability of both the Indian and US Navies to conduct wide-area searches for submarines and other undersea threats in the region. The partnership will also focus on the development of new sonobuoy technologies, offering bespoke solutions tailored to the needs of the Indian Ocean Theater.
Rear Admiral (USN, Ret.) Mark Kenny, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Business Development at Ultra Maritime, also spoke about the strategic importance of the initiative: “Having experienced the Indian Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare prowess firsthand during Indian Malabar naval exercises in the past, it is an honor today to support both the US Navy and Indian Navy in maintaining Undersea Domain Awareness in the Indian Ocean through the Make in India sonobuoy initiative.”
The sonobuoys produced in India will be interoperable and interchangeable between the US Navy, Indian Navy, and allied platforms, including the P-8, MH-60R, and MQ-9B Sea Guardian aircraft. This interoperability is crucial for enhancing collaborative defense efforts and ensuring seamless operations between the two navies.
Strengthening the US-India Military Partnership
The agreement between Ultra Maritime and BDL not only represents a technological leap in undersea warfare capabilities but also underscores the growing defense ties between the United States and India. Commodore (Retd) A Madhavarao, Chairman of Bharat Dynamics Limited, reiterated this sentiment, noting that the partnership aligns with India’s defense priorities. “Bharat Dynamics Limited is completely aligned with the Indian Navy to meet the operational demand for Make in India sonobuoys and is committed to standing up joint production with Ultra Maritime in Vishakhapatnam,” he stated.
This collaboration signals the continuing transformation of the India-US defense relationship, which has become a cornerstone of both nations’ strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. As both countries focus on enhancing maritime security, the co-production of sonobuoys offers a tangible example of how defense technology and industrial cooperation can be leveraged to address shared security challenges.
Looking Ahead
As global security concerns, especially in the Indo-Pacific, intensify, this partnership is expected to have long-lasting impacts on regional security dynamics. The shared commitment of the Indian Navy and the US Navy to enhance undersea domain awareness through advanced technologies like sonobuoys demonstrates a new level of defense collaboration that goes beyond joint exercises and dialogues.
This first-of-its-kind partnership is a testament to the evolving strategic alignment between India and the United States and sets a strong precedent for future defense collaborations. As both nations continue to deepen their defense cooperation, the Ultra Maritime-BDL sonobuoy initiative is a key milestone in the broader effort to ensure peace and security in the Indian Ocean region and beyond.