New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has offered 28 indigenously developed weapon systems to the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force for emergency procurement, as part of a strategic move to bolster national defense capabilities in the wake of heightened security concerns.
This development comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, during which domestically produced weapons played a pivotal role. Under the Centre’s emergency procurement powers, the armed forces are authorized to buy defense hardware worth up to Rs 300 crore per item to replenish stockpiles and meet urgent operational needs.
According to defense officials, the DRDO has submitted a comprehensive list to the Ministry of Defence that includes a wide range of weaponry such as rockets, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, laser-guided bombs, torpedoes, shoulder-fired air defense and anti-tank missiles, helicopter- and ground-launched Nag missiles, Rudram anti-radiation missiles, naval anti-ship missiles, and grenades.
The list also outlines the vendors capable of producing these systems and the quantities available for procurement within the next six months to a year. For instance, Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited has been named as a supplier for Pinaka rockets, while Bharat Dynamics Limited is listed as the source for several critical systems.
Among the systems offered are Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORADS), Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAAW), long-range glide bombs, advanced lightweight torpedoes, and ammunition for 155 mm artillery guns.
The proposal divides the 28 systems among the three services: 14 for the Indian Army, 8 for the Indian Navy, and 6 for the Indian Air Force. The Air Force is also in the process of acquiring SAAW smart ammunition through a proposal currently under review by the Ministry of Defence.
The DRDO has become a cornerstone of India’s defense manufacturing ecosystem, with systems such as the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, MRSAM (Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile), and Akash surface-to-air missile systems demonstrating exceptional performance during Operation Sindoor, particularly in countering Pakistani threats.
Officials emphasized that the current scale and readiness of DRDO’s offerings far exceed those during the 2020 conflict with China, underscoring the growing maturity of India’s indigenous defense industry and its ability to respond to national security exigencies. (ANI)
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