Defence Ministry Signs Rs 4,106 Crore Deals for GSAT-7C and Torpedoes
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
The Ministry of Defence has signed two contracts worth about Rs 4,106 crore for a military communication satellite for the Indian Air Force and heavyweight torpedoes for the Navy, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said. The contracts were signed in New Delhi in the presence of Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) A Anbarasu.
GSAT-7C for Secure Air Force Links
A contract worth Rs 2,563 crore was signed with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Bengaluru, the commercial arm of the Department of Space, for the GSAT-7C satellite, PIB said. The satellite is meant to give the Indian Air Force secure, real-time communication between its aircraft, ground stations and other assets. ThePrint reported that it is expected to be operational by 2030.
India’s earlier military satellites, GSAT-7 for the Navy and GSAT-7A for the Air Force, already provide dedicated communication links for the forces.
Varunastra Torpedoes From Bharat Dynamics
The second contract, worth Rs 1,543 crore, was signed with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad, for Varunastra heavyweight torpedoes. Varunastra is a ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo developed by the DRDO’s Naval Science and Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam, designed to hunt submarines in both deep and shallow waters, Business Standard reported. The number of torpedoes has not been disclosed.
Orders for Indian Industry
The ministry said the contracts fall under its Aatmanirbhar Bharat push, and reports said the projects carry a minimum of 68 per cent indigenous content. Both orders go to public sector firms.
The deals follow other recent steps to build defence capacity at home, such as the Navy’s commissioning of INS Samarthak, built by an Indian shipyard. More in IPB’s Daily Updates.
Based on the PIB release and reporting by Business Standard and IDRW.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
