Tuesday, February 18th, 2025

From Rafale Marine Fighter to Scorpene Submarine… Government eyes big defense deals worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore

New Delhi: In the new year, the government is going to make an important defense deal to strengthen the Indian Armed Forces. As part of a long-term plan to enhance the striking capability of the Armed Forces, it plans to sign at least four major defense deals for fighter aircraft, submarines, helicopters and artillery before this financial year ending March 31. The total value of these deals is more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

26 Rafale Marine Fighter Plane Deal

Defense sources told our associate newspaper Times of India that the first deal with France will be for the direct acquisition of 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets worth about Rs 63,000 crore. These indigenous aircraft carriers will operate from the deck of INS Vikrant.

22 single-seat sea jets and four dual-seat trainer aircraft for the Navy along with weapons, simulators, crew training and five years of performance-based logistics support already inducted into the Indian Air Force, sources said. The deal for spare parts for 36 Rafale now goes for final approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by the Prime Minister.

38 thousand crore deal with France

Another major deal with France will be worth Rs 38,000 crore. This will include a deal for three additional Scorpene diesel-electric submarines. It will have Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) for long duration underwater. It will be constructed at Mazagon Docks (MDL) in Mumbai.

Three new boats – the first of which will be ready by 2031. Thereafter, two more boats – at an interval of one year each – will join the six Scorpene or Kalvari class submarines already built under the over Rs 23,000 crore ‘Project-75’ in the MDL.

PM Modi will commission

The sixth submarine ‘Wagsheer’ is to be commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 15 along with guided-missile destroyer Surat and stealth frigate Nilgiri. A source said the CCS is likely to approve the Rafale deal before the end of this month. The Scorpene deal will be approved soon thereafter. Incidentally, Modi is scheduled to visit France for the Artificial Intelligence summit on February 11 and 12.

indigenous prachanda helicopter deal

The other two big deals are for 156 indigenous Prachanda light combat helicopters. Their value is approximately Rs 53,000 crore. Also, 307 indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) cost Rs 8,500 crore. 156 new Prachanda helicopters (90 for Army, 66 for IAF) will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

These helicopters are capable of conducting offensive operations in high altitude areas like Siachen Glacier and eastern Ladakh. The 156 helicopters will join the 15 such helicopters (10 IAF and five Army) already inducted under the Rs 3,887 crore contract signed in 2022.

Agreement between Bharat Forge-Tata

Designed and developed by DRDO, ATAGS, which is said to have a strike range of up to 48 km, will be produced by Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems. Bharat Forge is emerging as L-1 (lowest bidder). It will manufacture 60% of the guns, while Tata will produce the remaining 40%.

The order for 307 ATAGS is likely to increase in future as the Army plans to include ‘more advanced versions’ taking the total requirement to 1,580 such guns. Another source said, “The aim is to sign all four deals this financial year.

Work is also underway to revise the Defense Acquisition Procedure-2020 to further reduce procurement timelines, streamline processes and provide a level playing field to all.

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