Govt starts process of procuring surveillance helicopters with accessories

The government has started the process of procuring surveillance helicopters with accessories and issued a Request for Information (RFI) for it on Tuesday. The RFI says the surveillance helicopters, along with the accessories, are planned to be procured in the spirit of the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' programmes.

"The preferred categorisation for the project as per provisions of Chapter-II of DAP-2020 may be indicated by the vendors with due justification," it adds.

The ministry of defence intends to procure "surveillance copters with accessories", according to the RFI document.


This RFI is being issued with a view to "finalise SQRs (Service Qualitative Requirements), decide procurement category and identify probable Indian vendors who are capable to supply surveillance copter along with accessories within two years of award of contract/supply order".

The first part of the RFI incorporates the intended use of the equipment and the operational requirement that should be met by the surveillance copter with accessories.

The RFI also mentions the terrain conditions under which the "surveillance copters" will be employed -- plain and desert terrain as occurring along the western borders of India, high altitude (up to 4,500 metres) or mountainous terrain as occurring in India.

The surveillance copters with accessories should be operational by day and night and in commonly encountered weather conditions in all kind of terrains in the country, the RFI says.

"Surveillance Copter be modular in design, thereby lending itself to future upgrades through simple modifications, not leading to design or structural change. It should also facilitate integration and installation, without impacting the performance of any system/sub-system," it added.