India bolsters its defense capabilities with two major acquisitions. The government approved the purchase of 100 additional K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery guns and 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets. The artillery guns, built by L&T, are customized for ...
The government has cleared two mega defence acquisition deals worth over ₹21,000 crore for additional artillery guns and fighter jets. Sources said that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave the go ahead and the contract for additional Su 30MKI jets has been inked on Thursday itself.
The Army will get a significant capability upgrade with the acquisition of 100 additional K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery guns. Made in India by Larsen and Toubro at its Hazira facility, the guns have been upgraded to meet the special requirements of the Army for operations in high-altitude regions with extreme weather conditions.
The Army already has 100 of these guns that have the capability of accurate fire and quick manoeuvring to move out of enemy range. These guns have already been deployed successfully in the Ladakh theatre with the army appreciating their performance in extreme conditions. The deal is likely to be in excess of ₹7,000 crore.
The guns are being built by L&T in partnership with a South Korean firm but have been highly indigenised and customised. There has also been export interest from several nations that are looking to upgrade artillery capabilities.
CCS also gave a go ahead to procure at least 12 additional Su 30MKI fighter jets. These jets will be built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), with an indigenous content of close to 60%, sources said. The additional fighters are essentially replacements for Su 30MKIs that have been lost to accidents in the past and are expected to cost ₹13,000 crore. India has in the past placed orders for 272 of the fighter jets.
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In a parallel process, HAL is also proceeding with a major contract to manufacture new engines for the fighter fleet. The ₹26,000 crore contract to manufacture AL 31FP engines at the Koraput plant has already been given a go ahead. The order for 240 of these will be used to replace older engines that are coming to the end of their service life.
