Strengthening the coastal security, the Ministry of Defence Thursday signed a contract with state-owned M/s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for procurement of 149 Software Defined Radios for Indian Coast Guard at a total cost of ₹1220.12 crore.
The order has been placed under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) which refers to the fact that the procurement of defence equipment will be from an Indian vendor that was designed, developed, and manufactured in India.
These state-of-the-art radios will enable secure and reliable information sharing, collaboration, and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication, the Ministry of Defence stated after the deal was inked at South Block.
The Ministry also stated that it will strengthen the Indian Coast Guard’s capability to fulfil its core responsibilities, including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations, fisheries protection, and marine environment protection.
Additionally, these radios will enhance interoperability for joint operations with the Indian Navy.
“The project is a strategic step toward bolstering the Coast Guard’s operational capabilities and supporting the Government of India’s Blue Economy objectives by reinforcing maritime security,” the MoD said in a statement.
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Aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the contract will enhance the country’s manufacturing capabilities for advanced military-grade communication systems, generating employment opportunities and fostering expertise development.
Last February, the Indian Air Force too had place orders with BEL for the procurement of software-based light weight man-portable radio communication sets.