INDIAN industry given major role in the production of equipment for armed forces

CONSIDERING the urgency to strengthen the Armed Forces for the defence of our borders and in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Defence Acquisition Council has assigned private players an important role in making varied equipment for the defence sector. DAC has also approved the acquisition of 21 MIG-29 and 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft. Capital acquisition of various platforms and equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces was okayed at a meeting chaired by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on July 02.  Focused on indigenous design and development these approvals include acquisitions from Indian industry of Rs 31,130 crore. The equipment is going to be manufactured in India involving Indian defence industry with participation of several MSMEs as prime-tier vendors. The indigenous content in some of these projects is up to 80 per cent of the project cost. Many of these projects have been made possible due to Transfer of Technology by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the indigenous industry. These include Pinaka ammunitions, BMP armament upgrades and software-defined radios for the Indian Army, Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems and Astra Missiles for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF). The cost of these design and development proposals is in the range of Rs 20,400 crore. Acquisition of new/additional missile systems will add to the firepower of three Services. While acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted, addition of Long-Range Land Attack Missile Systems having a firing range of 1,000 kilometres to the existing arsenal will bolster the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force. Similarly, induction of Astra Missiles having Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of the Navy and Air Force. Further, addressing the long-felt need of the IAF to increase its fighter squadrons, the DAC also approved the proposal for procurement of 21 MIG-29 along with up-gradation of existing 59 MIG-29 aircraft and procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft. While the MIG 29 procurement and up-gradation from Russia is estimated to cost Rs 7,418 crore, the Su-30 MKI will be procured from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at an estimated cost of Rs 10,730 crore. (courtesy to Live Mint for the above pic)