The defence ministry signed a Rs 2,580-crore contract, on 31 August, with Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), Tata Power Company Ltd (TPCL) and Larsen & Toubro to equip the army with six Pinaka rocket regiments, a spokesperson said. He said the order to the Indian firms would boost the Make in India initiative at a time when self-reliance in the defence sector is a top priority for the government.
In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the six Pinaka regiments comprise 114 launchers with Automated Gun Aiming and Positioning System (AGAPS) and 45 command posts. It said the missile regiments are planned to be operationalised by 2024.
Pinaka regiments will be deployed along India’s border with China and Pakistan to further enhance operational preparedness of the armed forces.
The six Pinaka Regiments will be bought from TPCL and L&T, and 330 vehicles to be procured from BEML, the ministry said in a statement. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has locally designed and developed the Pinaka multiple launch rocket system. It will now be produced by the firms to whom the contract has been awarded.
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The weapons systems will have 70 per cent indigenous content. “This is a flagship project showcasing public-private partnership under the aegis of government of India (DRDO & MoD) enabling ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in cutting edge defence technologies,” the ministry said.
“These six Pinaka regiments will be operationalised along the northern and eastern borders of our country further enhancing the operation preparedness of the armed forces,” the ministry said. The new regiments will be operational by 2024.
PM Narendra Modi had said India has the potential to become a reliable weapons supplier to friendly foreign countries and strengthen its strategic partnerships as it takes strides towards self-reliance in the defence sector.
Earlier in August, the government announced a separate budgetary outlay of Rs 52,000 crore for domestic capital procurement and came out with a negative import list. India on August 9 announced it will ban the import of 101 different types of weapons, systems and ammunition over the next five years — from artillery guns to light military transport aircraft and conventional submarines to long-range land attack cruise missiles.
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