# MQ-9 Reaper at INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India: deployment

Canonical ID: `a967cf86-154b-45ac-ac95-e0720e8d0067`

Indian Navy began operating two leased MQ-9B SeaGuardians from INS Rajali in November 2020 for surveillance amid border tensions with China.

**Trust tier:** Catalog entry · 1 source · not yet field-verified

_Last updated: 2026-08-09_

- **Slug:** mq-9-reaper-ins-rajali-tamil-nadu-india
- **Status:** operational
- **Model:** [MQ-9 Reaper](/models/mq-9-reaper.md) (id: `a4a24742-35fe-470e-915d-444483658f2b`)
- **Category:** [Drones](/drones)
- **Company:** [General Atomics Aeronautical Systems](/companies/general-atomics.md) (id: `33d9f53e-a5ca-4263-bb2c-2d1650575da3`)
- **Location:** [INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India](/locations/ins-rajali-tamil-nadu-india.md) (id: `9887d2b8-3b3d-4bfb-9208-acd0500ad9ed`)
- **First seen:** 2020-11-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Verification log (0, append-only)

_No verifications recorded._

## Sources (1)

1. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-leases-top-notch-us-drones-for-surveillance-amidst-border-row-with-china/articleshow/79413719.cms

## Common questions

### What is the MQ-9 Reaper deployment at INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India?

MQ-9 Reaper, built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, is recorded as a deployment at INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India on the DEPLOY registry. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems operates the deployment directly.

### Who operates MQ-9 Reaper at INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India?

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the manufacturer of MQ-9 Reaper, operates this deployment directly. This is a maker-deploys-its-own-product arrangement rather than a customer pilot.

### When did the MQ-9 Reaper deployment at INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India go live?

The deployment is recorded as starting November 1, 2020 on the DEPLOY registry. Earlier activity may exist but is not yet sourced.

### Have there been incidents at the MQ-9 Reaper deployment at INS Rajali, Tamil Nadu, India?

No active incidents affecting this deployment are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Absence of recorded incidents is not a guarantee no incident occurred; DEPLOY records only sourced incidents and suppresses retracted ones.


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