A week after Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared the deal, the Ministry of Defence on Friday signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro Limited for procurement of 100 155 mm/52 calibre K9 VAJRA-T self-propelled tracked artillery guns for the Indian Army at a total cost of ₹7,628.70 crore.

The contract is a repeat order under Buy (Indian) category and is set to augment Indian Army’s firepower at high altitude as well in deserts. The previous order of 100 K9 guns were worth more than ₹4,500 but the gun this time has upgrades which has added to the cost, said sources.

The contract was signed by senior officials of the MoD and representatives of L&T in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in South Block on Friday, the Ministry stated.

A K-9 Vajra guns, each weighing 50 tonnes and with a firing of over 50 kilometers, are being manufactured at the Armoured Systems Complex of L&T in Hazira, Gujarat.

The leading private defence firm got transfer of technology from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense to manufacture K-9 Vajras. Subsequently, the L&T said it has indigenised substantial components of the gun to reduce import dependence.

MDL delivers 2 ships to Navy

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), a navratna central public sector enterprise (CPSE), delivered the first stealth frigate of Project 17A and the fourth stealth destroyer of Project 15B to the Indian Navy on Friday.

The First of Class (FoC) ship of Project 17A, Nilgiri features cutting edge advanced technology and is comparable to the finest ships of similar class anywhere in the world, said the MDL.

It is designed indigenously by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and incorporates capability for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability.

“Nilgiri is state of the art having stealth feature and the same have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings which make ships difficult to detect,” the state-owned company stated. This ship is packed with an array of state of the art weapons and sensors and have all-round capability against enemy submarines, surface warship, anti-ship missiles, fighter aircraft.

The MDL said Surat is the fourth ship of Project 15B and is a potent platform capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions, spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare.

The vessel is armed with supersonic Surface-to-Surface ‘Brahmos’ missiles and ‘Barak-8’ Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles. Towards undersea warfare capability the Destroyer is fitted with indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the Hull mounted Sonar Humsa NG, Heavy weight Torpedo Tube Launchers and ASW Rocket Launchers.

The Acceptance Document was signed by Sanjeev Singhal, Chairman & Managing Director, MDL in the presence of senior colleagues from his company and representatives from Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, Warship Overseeing Team (Mumbai), and others.

Published on December 20, 2024