India on Wednesday signed a deal with US defence and aerospace giant Boeing for four P-8I maritime surveillance planes, the cost of which is estimated to be around $1 billion.
Equipped with foreign and indigenous sensors for maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine operations and electronic intelligence missions, the aircraft is fully integrated with state-of-the-art sensors and highly potent anti-surface and anti-submarine weapons.
The deal is a follow an earlier deal to buy eight P-8I aircraft, which had an option for buying four more additional aircraft later. Delivery of the aircrafts is expected over next three to four years.