Bengaluru, NFAPost: According to reports, the Defence Ministry has clinched a deal to procure Pinaka rocket launchers for six Army regiments with Tata Power Company Ltd (TPCL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
The new deal come at a time when India is facing a turbulent phase of border dispute with China and Pakistan. The Defence Ministry is facing a herculean task of strengthening operational preparedness of the armed forces.
The public sector undertaking Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) will also be part of the project. BEML will provide the vehicles on which the rocket launchers will be mounted.
According to the statement, the defence ministry said the six Pinaka regiments comprise 114 launchers with Automated Gun Aiming and Positioning System (AGAPS) and 45 command posts. It said the missile regiments are planned to be operationalised by 2024.
The weapon systems will have 70% of indigenous content, states the Defence Ministry. The project has been approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. DRDO has designed and developed the Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
“This is a flagship project showcasing public-private partnership under the aegis of government of India (DRDO & MoD) enabling ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in cutting edge defence technologies,” the ministry said.
