India Approves Purchase of Four Additional Boeing P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The Indian government has approved the purchase of four more Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, Dow Jones reported Friday.

The four P-8Is come on top of the eight India ordered in 2009, for delivery between 2013 and 2015, and would be delivered after 2015, Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick told Dow Jones.

Boeing builds the 737-based P-8 in Renton and Seattle. The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon Boeing is building for the U.S. Navy.

Chadwick told Dow Jones that Boeing has offered a P-8I derivative in response to India’s initial request for information for six medium multi-role reconnaissance aircraft and expects India to sign a final agreement to buy 10 C-17 Globemaster III airlifters in the next few months.