The partnership supports the US-India Bilateral Undersea Domain Awareness initiative. Credit: Ultra Maritime/PRNewswire.

Ultra Maritime has entered into an agreement with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to initiate a collaborative effort in manufacturing US-standard sonobuoys within India.  

This development, initially disclosed by the White House earlier in 2025, involves a production planning contract that paves the way for technology transfer from the US to India.  

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The sonobuoys produced under this partnership are intended for deployment on India’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft, including the P-8I, MH-60R, and MQ-9B Sea Guardian platforms. 

Ultra Maritime’s next-generation sonobuoys are expected to advance the consistent, global supply of anti-submarine warfare capabilities. 

Preparations for production are already in progress, with production set to commence in 2027 at BDL’s Visakhapatnam facility. 

BDL chairman A Madhavarao said: “Bharat Dynamics Limited has signalled its intent to invest with Ultra Maritime in the signing of this contract. Not only have we prepared our site for new production lines, but the output of the Production Planning contract will give us greater confidence in building sonobuoys in India.” 

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The facilities include production and testing halls that have been readied for the upcoming manufacturing lines. 

The initial contract will finance the discussions between Ultra Maritime and BDL on various aspects such as potential supply chain partners, production equipment requirements, production line layouts, testing processes, and quality control measures. 

The production will be distributed between the US and India, aligning with the ‘Make in India’ initiative. 

This partnership is a strategic move to enhance undersea domain awareness for both the Indian and US navies, supporting the US-India Bilateral Undersea Domain Awareness initiative.  

Ultra Maritime president and CEO Carlo Zaffanella said: “We are proud to follow up on recent announcements to share that our first contract with BDL has been formalised. This step indicates the level of investment both parties are making to ensure timely delivery of world class sonobuoys, made in India.”