New Delhi, 06 October (H.S.): The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday signed a contract worth Rs 661 crore with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) in New Delhi for the procurement of BrahMos fire control systems and launchers for the Indian Navy. The procurement will be undertaken under the Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (Indian-IDDM) category. The agreement was signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the project, which will have at least 68 per cent indigenous content, will encourage the active participation of various Indian industries, including small-scale enterprises. The project is expected to generate employment over a period of three years. It will also strengthen India’s maritime security architecture and defence capabilities and marks another significant milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to indigenise advanced military technologies.

The BrahMos system fitted on various frontline warships serves as the Indian Navy’s principal surface-to-surface missile system for maritime strike operations. The weapon system is capable of engaging land and sea targets with precision from considerable ranges while travelling at supersonic speeds.

The Indian Navy has successfully conducted trials of the anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile equipped with an indigenous booster, further reinforcing the Navy’s commitment to self-reliance. The missile incorporates new technologies and is being manufactured under a joint venture between India and Russia, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) representing the Indian side.

The Navy has, from time to time, conducted BrahMos supersonic cruise missile trials from its warships, including INS Visakhapatnam, the guided-missile destroyer INS Mormugao, INS Delhi, INS Ranvijay and the indigenous stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

The Navy has four variants of the BrahMos missile for launch from maritime platforms. The ship-launched anti-ship and land-attack variants are already part of the Navy’s capabilities. The submarine-launched anti-ship and land-attack variants have also undergone successful trials and are expected to be inducted into the Navy’s inventory soon.

The BrahMos missile is being manufactured under an India-Russia joint venture, with the DRDO representing the Indian side.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar