Army to get ₹2,000 crore hardware through emergency route
NEW DELHI: The defence ministry has signed a raft of contracts worth almost ₹ 2,000 crore through the emergency procurement route to boost the Indian Army's readiness in counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, with some of these deals concluded after the recent four-day military confrontation with Pakistan under Operation Sindoor, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. An Indian army soldier stands guard at the Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan and India on May 20 (AFP FILE)
The weapons and systems ordered include integrated drone detection and interdiction systems, low-level lightweight radars, very short-range air defence systems and remotely piloted aerial vehicles.
Thirteen contracts under the emergency procurement mechanism have been concluded, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. 'These contracts, amounting to ₹ 1,981.90 crore, have been finalised against an (earlier) overall sanctioned outlay of ₹ 2,000 crore for the Indian Army,' it said in a statement.
The hardware on order includes loitering munitions, different types of drones, bullet-proof jackets, ballistic helmets, quick reaction fighting vehicles (both heavy and medium) and night sights for rifles.
'Executed through fast-track procedures under the emergency procurement mandate, the procurement aims to enhance situational awareness, lethality, mobility, and protection for troops deployed in counter-terrorism environments,' the ministry added.
The 450 locally produced loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones, ordered from a Nagpur-based defence firm, Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd, to boost the army's precision targeting capabilities – as reported by HT on Tuesday -- are part of the emergency procurement.
These procurements reflect the ministry's commitment to equipping the Indian Army with modern, mission-critical, and completely indigenous systems to meet emerging security challenges, and the emergency procurement route continues to be a key enabler in bridging urgent capability gaps and ensuring timely induction of vital operational equipment, the statement added.
India launched the operation in the early hours of May 7 and struck terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were shot dead. It triggered a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, long-range weapons and heavy artillery before the two sides reached an understanding on stopping all military action on May 10.
Days after the ceasefire, the government granted powers to the armed forces to make emergency purchases worth around ₹ 40,000 crore.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Value Chain
18 minutes ago
- Fashion Value Chain
Butterfly Unveils New Identity Rooted in Change & Selfhood
Butterfly, one of India's most trusted names in kitchen appliances, has unveiled a powerful new brand identity that repositions it as a voice for individuality and transformation. Embracing the idea that change is constant while authenticity is timeless, Butterfly's new visual and strategic direction is inspired by the fingerprint—now integrated into the wings of its iconic logo. This evolution comes with a deeper purpose: to reflect the dynamic spirit of the 'zillenial' consumer—those who thrive on growth and change without compromising on self-expression. More than age or geography, this attitude-based approach focuses on how people cook, think, and live authentically. Under its renewed purpose, Celebrating Change, Butterfly acknowledges the hybrid, tech-integrated lives of today's Indian households. Now a subsidiary of Crompton, the brand is evolving with smarter, more durable, and stylish products tailored to the modern lifestyle. Swetha Sagar, Chief Business Officer, stated, 'Our refreshed identity isn't just about how we look—it's about who we're for. We're honouring the millions of unique imprints that shape the Butterfly story every day—consumers, creators, and changemakers alike.' The new logo design—featuring fingerprint patterns within butterfly wings—symbolizes each individual's lasting mark, representing personal identity in motion. With upcoming upgrades across product categories like mixer grinders and cooktops, Butterfly reaffirms its commitment to intuitive design, long-lasting quality, and meaningful innovation. This rebrand is more than cosmetic—it's a cultural shift that invites every user to own their change and remain rooted in originality.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
20 minutes ago
- Business Standard
RBI's surplus fund withdrawal set to dampen money market sentiment
The Indian central bank's decision to withdraw surplus liquidity from the banking system just weeks after a large rate cut and cash boosting measures has prompted an uptick in money market rates which may continue in the coming days, traders said. The Reserve Bank of India will conduct a seven-day variable rate reverse repo (VRRR), for Rs 1 trillion ($11.64 billion) on Friday, its first such operation since November-end. Why it's important Conducting VRRRs shows the RBI's discomfort with the overnight and treasury bill rates remaining below repo rate. These are expected to move towards the repo rate as the RBI continues such operations, potentially for shorter tenors. This would increase the short-term cost of funding for banks, and undo some of the benefits of the rate cut, analysts said. Weighted average call rate, which is the RBI's operative rate, has remained near the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate, for the past few weeks. Context Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the RBI could start conducting VRRRs to pump out surplus as and when required. Liquidity has averaged at around Rs 2.76 trillion on a daily basis in June, higher than 1 per cent of banking deposits. The RBI is looking at surplus of around 1 per cent, Governor had said. Last week, Reuters reported that RBI sought feedback on aligning call rate more closely with repo rate. Key Quotes Money market rates are likely to get impacted with treasury bill yields moving up by 5-10 bps, said Alok Singh, group head of treasury at CSB Bank. A suitably sized daily VRRR could have been more efficient to pull up the overnight policy rates quickly, said Abhishek Upadhyay, senior economist at ICICI Securities Primary Dealership. "The focus now will be on whether RBI proactively moves to shorter tenor VRRRs, if tendering in 7-day auction is not very strong," he added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
20 minutes ago
- Business Standard
BTA likely to reduce India's goods trade surplus with US, says Crisil
The imminent bilateral trade agreements (BTA) with the US is likely to reduce India's goods trade surplus with that country, according to a research report by Crisil. During the financial year 2024-25, India's trade surplus with the US stood at $41.18 billion, according to data of the Indian government. The report said after completion of trade pact, India will be able to import more energy, certain agriculture products and defence equipment among others. Although the US is India's largest export partner, there is scope to increase exports further in areas like smartphones, pharmaceutical products and labour-intensive exports such as textiles, gems and jewellery, the report said. The US announced reciprocal tariffs on India and a host of other nations in April 2025, and then paused the increase for 90 days from April 10 to negotiate trade deals with these countries. As India negotiates a trade deal with the US in the form of BTA, the first tranche is expected to be completed by September this year. The report said that India should be prepared to see more imports from the US under BTA. This is because India's tariffs are much higher than the US and bringing these down would benefit the exporters in the US. India's exports, however, are unlikely to see a major spike because the focus of the US administration is to reduce the trade deficit with India and most of the top exports are already duty-free. The US is not only the world's largest economy, but also the world's largest importer, according to the report. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
