Defence Ministry Signs ₹10,000 Crore Deals to Strengthen Army’s Firepower

The Defence Ministry has signed ₹10,147 crore contracts to enhance the army's firepower with advanced ammunition for the Pinaka rocket system. These deals focus on area denial munitions and enhanced-range rockets, marking a key step in India's push for self-reliance and modernising its defence infrastructure.

In a significant move towards enhancing India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has inked two contracts worth ₹10,147 crore to procure ammunition for the Pinaka multi-launcher rocket system. These contracts, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security last week, were awarded to private firms Economic Explosives Limited and Munitions India Limited.

The first contract is for area denial munition, which features a specialised warhead designed to deploy sub-munitions over a broad area. This will target mechanised forces, vehicles, and personnel, thereby denying specific regions to the enemy. The second deal involves enhanced range rockets that can strike deep into enemy territory with precision and increased lethality.

The new procurement aims to modernise the artillery rocket regiments and significantly strengthen the army's firepower, marking a major milestone in India's defence capabilities. The Pinaka system was recently showcased at the 76th Republic Day parade, alongside other notable weapon systems such as the BrahMos missile and the Akash weapon system.

India’s defence manufacturing sector has witnessed a boost with this move, as it also provides significant employment opportunities by encouraging the growth of the Indian MSME sector through component manufacturing. Additionally, the procurement aligns with the government's vision to modernise defence infrastructure and empower indigenous industries.

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This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance India’s self-reliance in defence, including import bans on critical defence systems, increased foreign direct investment (FDI), and a dedicated budget for locally made military hardware. For the financial year 2024-25, India aims for a ₹1.75 lakh crore turnover in defence manufacturing.