India
oi-Swastika Sruti
In a major development in India’s Defence sector, the Central Government has decided to open the country’s strategic missile production sector to private companies. This is for the first time that India has taken such a step. Till now the missile manufacturing has been single handedly owned by the defence organisations.
India’s Central Government will allow private companies, including Tata Group and Adani Defence, to manufacture strategic missiles like the Astra Mark 2 for the first time, aiming to boost production capacity and meet increased international demand.
This big step is likely to surge the production capacity and help India meet the growing international demand.
Private Sector to Manufacture Astra Mark 2 Missile
The Ministry of Defence is preparing to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) which will invite leading private defence firms to participate in the manufacturing of the Astra Mark 2 missile.
What is Astra Mark 2?
It is an advanced BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missile developed by the DRDO. Until now the manufacturing of such missiles systems was mostly the responsibility of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) – a defence public sector undertaking.
However the new policy is expected to allow private companies to contribute to manufacturing.
Why Has the Government Taken This Decision?
This is a real matter of concern that why has the government for the first time taken such a step. The decision comes at a time when demand for Indian made defence equipments has surged within the country and abroad.
No doubt that India’s armed forces require faster manufacturing while several friendly countries have also shown interest in buying Indian defence equipment. The government officials believe that standing dependent on only government manufacturing is not enough today and will also not be able to meet the demands.
Hence, getting the private manufacturers, the government aims to increase the production capacity and reduce delivery timelines for better results.
Rising Defence Exports Drive the Change
With the growth in the India’s defence exports, one of the biggest breakthroughs came with an agreement worth around 630 million US dollars with Indonesia, that includes – BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra air-to-air weapon systems.
What Makes Astra Mark 2 Special?
The Astra Mark 2 is one of India’s most advanced indigenous air-to-air missiles whose strike range is around 180 to 200 kilometres, that allows fighter aircraft to engage enemy targets from long distances.
The missile is equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar seeker that enables it to accurately track targets even in environments affected by electronic jamming. It is also powered by dual-pulse solid rocket motor, improving its speed, range and effectiveness during combat missions.
Leading Defence Companies Expected to Participate
On this development, several defence manufacturers are expected to compete for the upcoming production contracts.
Companies likely to participate include:
- Tata Group
- Adani Defence
- Mahindra Group
- Bharat Forge
- ICOMM
This marks one of the biggest decision by the Indian government that will open broader goal to build stronger domestic defence industry under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
