ndia boosts military power with Rs 39,125 cr defence deals

In a significant boost to its military power, India signed five major defence acquisition contracts on Friday, totaling Rs 39,125 crore. These deals come amidst ongoing border tensions with China and aim to strengthen the country’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The procurement includes BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, radars, weapon systems and aero-engines for MiG-29 jets as part of efforts to boost the combat capabilities of the armed forces.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane oversaw the signing of these contracts, signalling a step towards reducing reliance on foreign equipment manufacturers and fostering indigenous defence capabilities.

Two separate deals were signed for acquiring BrahMos missiles, a potent weapon system capable of striking targets at supersonic speeds with exceptional accuracy. The first deal, valued at Rs 19,518.65 crore, involves acquiring missiles for the Indian Navy’s combat and training needs. The second deal, costing Rs 988 crore, focuses on procuring the ship-borne BrahMos system for frontline warships, enhancing their maritime strike capabilities.

The system is capable of hitting land or sea targets from extended ranges with pinpoint accuracy at supersonic speeds, the Defence Ministry said.

A critical deal worth Rs 5,249.72 crore was signed with state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for acquiring RD-33 aero engines for MiG-29 fighter jets. These engines will be produced domestically by the Koraput Division of the HAL and help sustain the operational ability of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) MiG-29 fleet.

A contract valued at Rs 7,668.82 crore was also signed with Larsen & Toubro Ltd for procurement of a batch of close-in weapon system (CIWS) to provide terminal air defence for vital locations.

Additionally, a Rs 5,700 crore deal was signed with the same company for acquiring high-power radar systems, replacing existing long-range radars with modern technology, significantly enhancing IAF’s air defence capabilities.

The signing of the two contracts for procurement of the Brahmos missiles came days after the acquisition was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

The CCS accorded approval for procurement of over 200 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and associated equipment.

It is learnt that it will be a mix of BrahMos missiles having a range of around 290 km and the latest extended range variant of the weapon with a range of around 450 km.

BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.