US approves HawkEye 360 sale to boost India's surveillance

NEW DELHI: In a move to boost New Delhi’s surveillance power amid heightened military tension, the US state department has approved the sale of HawkEye 360 technology to India, which will help the country gain maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific, aided by a growing constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit.

The proposed sale, the state department statement said, “will improve India's capabilities to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical abilities and strategic posture”.

A US Defence Security Cooperation Agency statement said New Delhi requested purchase of the SeaVision software, including its preferred software enhancements, training as a technical assistance field team, remote software, analytic support, documents, and other logistics and programme support elements. The estimated total cost is $131 million. “The principal contractor will be Hawkeye360, located in Herndon, Virginia,” the statement said.

HawkEye 360, an American geospatial analytics private company, collects and analyses radio frequency (RF) signal location with a constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. These satellites detect and geolocate radio frequency (RF) emissions. They track communication signals from ships, aircraft, vehicles, and coastal systems. Some vessels, which ‘go dark’ to roam undetected in disputed areas and evade tracking after turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS), can also be detected with this advanced technology.

Indian forces can now identify illegal fishing, smuggling and perform effective surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region with the help of this technology.

With this technology, India gains deeper visibility across its Exclusive Economic Zone. Currently, the Indian Navy uses P8i reconnaissance aircraft and Sea Guardian drones to monitor strategic locations and detect vessels keeping their AIS switched off.

The Hawkeye 360 system uses Electro-Optical (EO), Infrared (IR), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) as additional layers. Each layer improves detection, verification and classification of threats. EO satellites capture high-resolution daytime imagery; infrared sensors identify thermal emissions from engines and exhausts; and SAR satellites capture radar-based images regardless of weather and time. This layer confirms ship size, speed, and location. The system combines speed, precision, and adaptability and works continuously across all weather and time conditions.

“The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions,” the US statement said.