NEW DELHI: in a major shot in the arm for the armed forces, the Defence Acquisition Council on Saturday approved Rs 46,000 crore worth of weapons purchases, mostly from the US. The approval comes less than two weeks before the 2+2 dialogue between India and America.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis are expected to be in Delhi on September 6 for the dialogue, which has been deferred twice.
India’s big-ticket purchases okayed at the meeting chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday include 111 Naval Utility helicopters and 24 multi-role choppers for the Indian Navy. The utility helicopters would be made in India under the Defence ministry’s Strategic Partnership model in partnership with Lockheed Martin, while Sikorsky MH60R Seahawk Multi-role choppers would be acquired under a govt-to-govt deal.
These helicopters are operational and deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones. ASW capable helicopters are an integral part of frontline warships like aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates and corvettes, and will plug a major gap in the Indian Navy’s fleet. These may replace the ageing SeaKing Mk42B and the Russian Kamov-28.
India will also buy 14 Vertically Launched Short Range Missile Systems, of which 10 will be indigenously developed. Among other proposals are 150 Advanced Towed 155 mm Artillery Gun Systems for the Army, which will be indigenously designed by DRDO and made by Tata and Bharat Forge.
“This is a big boost for the Navy,” said a senior naval officer. “At a time when the PLA’s Navy is eyeing the Indian Ocean, and when our navy is being increasingly sought out for maintaining and protecting sea lanes in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific region, these helicopters and anti-missile systems will make a major difference.”
He added that if the indigenously made Advanced Light Helicopter had met the Navy’s requirements, it would have saved money. “Under this new proposal, there will be some tech transfer, which is good,” he said.
The SP model
As many as 111 choppers will be bought under the defence ministry’s Strategic Partnership (SP) model.
Under this model, which aims to boost the Narendra Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ programme, the Indian strategic partner will do the bulk of the manufacturing by collaborating with a foreign OEM to acquire niche technologies and set up production facilities in the country.