The reports in Indian media claim that the Government of India (GoI) has halted its purchase of six P-8I aircraft from American manufacturer Boeing, after the Donald Trump administration imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil.
The total tariffs on Indian products have now been raised to 50%, which is among the highest slapped on any country. The move has been accompanied by a bellicose rhetoric against India’s trade practices, barriers, and its oil and arms purchase from Russia, which has been labelled as India’s support for the “Russian war machine.”
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a strong six-point rebuttal, calling the US actions “unjustified and unreasonable,” and highlighting Western hypocrisy, citing the US and Europe’s continued trade with Russia.
Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed India’s commitment to protecting its farmers, MSMEs, and national interests while pushing back against the complete opening of the Indian market.
As tensions continue to mount, reports in the Indian media now suggest that New Delhi has halted the procurement of six additional P-8I aircraft, as the cost of the aircraft surged nearly 50%, driven in part by a 25% US tariff on Indian exports. The reports have been widely shared on social media and interpreted as a ‘tit for tat’ move against Washington.
Meanwhile, Reuters, in an exclusive story, says that India has put on hold its plans to procure new U.S. weapons and aircraft, citing three Indian officials familiar with the matter.
Reuters is reporting for the first time that discussions on India’s purchases of Stryker combat vehicles made by General Dynamics Land Systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
EurAsian Times did a comprehensive story this morning on why Stryker AFVs could be scrapped. You can read it here.
Counter Views
Meanwhile, Indian Air Force veteran and frequent contributor to EurAsian Times, Squadron Leader Vijender K. Thakur (retd), took to X to share his perspective.
India has not entered into any deal for the procurement of additional P-8I aircraft. In July 2020, India reportedly sent a “letter of request” to the US for FMS purchase of six more P-8Is for around $1.8 billion. The case for procurement has been under review by the MoD since 2023,” he said in the post.
The EurAsian Times could not independently corroborate whether the plans to acquire the aircraft have been deferred afresh due to new tariffs.
India signed a deal with Boeing for eight P-8I aircraft, becoming the first exporter of the coveted spy aircraft. This was supplemented with another contract in 2016 for four additional P-8Is, bringing the total P-8 fleet to 12.
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Amid rising threats, the Indian Navy in 2020 expressed the need for six more aircraft to effectively monitor the expansive Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Subsequently, in May 2021, the US State Department approved the potential sale of six additional P-8I aircraft and related equipment, a deal then estimated to cost $2.42 billion.
However, this procurement was deferred in 2023, perhaps due to the high costs.
Citing sources, a report in The Hindu in February 2025 indicated that India was looking to revive the proposal to procure six more P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft from the US and that the issue would be discussed in a meeting between the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the US President, Donald Trump.
However, no update on a potential purchase was made after the high-level meeting, during which Trump verbally offered the F-35A Lightning II aircraft to India.
Therefore, it is safe to say that the reports about a purported “cancellation” of the purchase of additional P-8I may be exaggerated, especially because these plans have been in abeyance for years now. The EurAsian Times understands that the additional tariffs might result in a significant price hike in the cost of the aircraft over the $2.42 billion approved in 2021, which could potentially influence India’s procurement plans.
However, the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has not explicitly stated that the plans have been shelved due to the additional tariffs that were slapped on August 7, at the time of writing this report.
After India was slapped with 25% tariffs earlier this month, a Bloomberg report citing Indian officials said that New Delhi has communicated to the US that it was not keen on buying the F-35 that was verbally offered by Trump. Later, the Indian MEA clarified that the country had not held any formal discussions with the US on purchasing F-35 fighter jets.“The two sides had mentioned that the US will undertake a review of its policy on releasing fifth-generation fighters (such as the F-35) and undersea systems to India. However, no formal discussions have been held as yet on this issue.”
The reports about India’s acquisition of the F-35, and then about India’s rejection, seem to be an exaggeration and not rooted in hard facts.
Unlike countries like Japan and South Korea, India has hinted that it does not intend to increase arms purchases to secure a favourable deal with the United States. That decision has likely been influenced by increased engagement between the US and Pakistan, making Washington an unreliable ally.
Indian officials have anonymously admitted to the media that there is mounting pressure to negotiate a deal with the US, as tensions continue to rise and tariffs put Indian exports at a position of disadvantage.
The P-8I Spy Aircraft
Boeing Defense, Space & Security developed and produced the P-8 Poseidon, which is derived from the civilian Boeing 737-800 airliner.
The Boeing P-8 is a versatile maritime patrol aircraft that excels in anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as search and rescue missions. The P-8I can also be used for coastal patrolling. It has a maximum range of about 7,500 kilometres and an endurance of 10 hours, allowing the aircraft to conduct long-range patrols over regions such as the Indian Ocean.
Beyond maritime roles, the P-8I has, in the past, supported land-based operations, including monitoring Chinese deployments during the 2017 Doklam standoff, Pakistani activity post-2019 Pulwama attack, and operations after the 2020 Galwan clash.
The P-8I’s presence in international waters signals India’s growing maritime influence, deterring potential adversaries like Pakistan. Additionally, the P-8I strengthens India’s ability to monitor and deter Chinese naval activities, including the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) submarine deployments in the IOR.
India’s acquisition of the P-8I Poseidon has significantly enhanced its maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and ISR capabilities, positioning it as a critical asset in the IOR.
The aircraft has been equipped with modern surveillance and reconnaissance equipment, such as a long-range X-band radar that can identify maritime objects hundreds of kilometers away. It also features sophisticated electronic warfare systems and high-resolution digital electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) sensors.
Additionally, the aircraft features the AN/APY-10 multi-mode radar, which incorporates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse SAR (ISAR) capabilities for detecting submarines, surface vessels, and land targets in all weather conditions. It features secure data links for real-time coordination with ships, aircraft, and ground forces.
The P-8I integrates Indian-developed systems like Bharat Electronics Limited’s (BEL) Data Link II and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), aligning with India’s push for self-reliance in defense and ensuring secure communication with Indian Navy assets. The aircraft’s cutting-edge sensors and weapons systems provide a technological edge over regional adversaries, enhancing India’s ability to detect stealthy submarines and surface threats with precision.
The aircraft can detect submerged submarines by identifying magnetic disturbances. This is critical for tracking China’s growing submarine fleet. The aircraft can also carry over 120 sonobuoys to detect and track enemy submarine activity.
In terms of weaponry, the P-8A is equipped with air-to-surface missiles designed to precisely target maritime threats, as well as torpedoes for anti-submarine operations. With its High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC), the P-8A can engage submarines quickly and accurately without being exposed to low altitudes by deploying MK-54 torpedoes as glide bombs from as high as 30,000 feet.
The P-8A, engineered for rigorous maritime environments, is designed to endure 25 years or 25,000 flight hours in harsh conditions, including operations in icing environments. It also has an open architecture that allows upgrades for new sensors, weapons, or mission systems to counter evolving threats.
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