Emergency Procurement Powers: Army Orders Rs 295 Crore Worth of Munitions and Drones

Under emergency procurement powers granted to the armed forces to build and replenish stocks after Operation Sindoor, the Army has opted for a strategic combination of small loitering munitions and mini-surveillance drones. The contracts, valued at Rs 295 crore, were awarded to domestic private sector companies, Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd, and ideaForge Technology. The Indian government's Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has also offered 28 weapon systems to the three services for emergency procurements, encompassing a diverse range of missiles, bombs, and other defense systems.

Key Takeaways:

• The Army has awarded two contracts worth Rs 295 crore for small loitering munitions and mini-surveillance drones under emergency procurement powers.
• The first contract is with Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd for 450 Nagastra-1R loitering munitions at Rs 158 crore.
• The second contract is with ideaForge Technology for hybrid mini-UAV systems worth Rs 137 crore.
• Variants of the Nagastra and VTOL-capable drones are already in the Army's inventory and were extensively used during cross-border hostilities with Pakistan from May 7 to 10.
• The fresh orders must be executed within a year, and the Nagastra features a 360-degree gimbal camera and thermal imaging capabilities for night operations.
• The Nagastra comes equipped with a high-precision targeting system.
• The contracts demonstrate the Army's reliance on domestic private sector companies for critical military equipment.

Statistics:

• Total value of contracts: Rs 295 crore
• Breakdown of contract values:

+ Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd: Rs 158 crore

+ ideaForge Technology: Rs 137 crore

• Number of Nagastra-1R loitering munitions ordered: 450

Sources:

• TIMES NEWS NETWORK New Delhi