Ministry of Defence signed an agreement with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (NS:BARA) or BDL, on Thursday for supply of medium-range surface-to-air missiles, also known as MRSAM to the Indian Navy, valued around Rs 2,960 crore.
MRSAM system is a standard fit, onboard multiple Indian Naval Ships and planned to be fitted on the majority of the future platforms planned for acquisition.
A Defence Ministry statement said the contract marked a critical milestone in the ongoing efforts of bolstering India's defense capabilities and indigenising advanced military technology.
With an emphasis on 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', the missiles would be supplied by BDL under the 'Buy (Indian)' category with largely indigenous content. The contract would generate employment of almost 3.5 lakh man-days in the defense industry, including various MSMEs, said the statement.
The officials of the Defence Ministry and BDL signed the contract in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in Delhi.
The signing of the contract comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation three frontline naval combatants – destroyer INS Surat, frigate INS Nilgiri, and submarine INS Vaghsheer - which will add muscle to India's growing naval power.
Acknowledging that India's armed forces have been adopting Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) over the last ten years, Prime Minister appreciated efforts to reduce dependency on other countries when crises arose. He mentioned that the armed forces have shortlisted more than 5,000 items and equipment that would not be imported further. He asserted that the morale of Indian soldiers has increased because equipment is now domestically produced.
PM Modi pointed out that the country's largest helicopter manufacturing factory has been set up in Karnataka and a transport aircraft factory for the armed forces. He spoke about the achievements of the Tejas fighter plane and the defence corridors being built in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (NS:TNNP), which are boosting defence production.
The Prime Minister was satisfied with the Navy's enormous expansion of the Make in India initiative and appreciated Mazagon Dockyard as playing a pivotal role in the process.
He pointed out the addition of 33 ships and seven submarines to the Navy over the past decade, 39 out of 40 of which were being constructed in Indian shipyards, including the magnificent INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and nuclear submarines such as INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
The Prime Minister also congratulated the armed forces for propelling the Make in India campaign. He pointed out that India's defence production has reached over Rs 1.25 lakh crore and that this country is exporting defense equipment to over 100 countries. He exuded confidence for the rapid metamorphosis in India's defence sector with support.
Read also| Dense Fog Shrouds Delhi-NCR, Visibility Drops to Zero in Several Areas
Read also| Rajnath Singh: Indian Army Brings Glory to the Nation on the Global Stage
