In a mega success for indigenous weapon systems, the Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared the project to buy over Rs 10,000 crore worth of ammunition for the Indian Army’s Pinaka.
CCS Clears Army’s Rs 10,000 Crore Pinaka Rocket Deal
In a mega success for indigenous weapon systems, the Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared the project to buy over Rs 10,000 crore worth of ammunition for the Indian Army’s Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems. The Indian Army project to buy the Rs 10,000 crore plus ammunition including the Area Denial Munitions and Pinaka Enhanced Range rockets was cleared by the CCS.
The project would be divided between the rocket manufacturer Solar Industries of Nagpur and the former Ordnance Factory Board company Munitions India Limited (MIL). The DRDO is already in the advanced stages of making a 120 km strike version of the Pinaka rockets and is expected to carry out its first test in the next financial year.
The rockets cleared today by the CCS have a range of around 45 Kms and can be very effective at both the Pakistan and China border. The system is capable of launching a salvo of 12 rockets within 44 seconds, effectively targeting enemy positions and troop concentrations over a range of up to 75 kilometers with precision-guided capabilities.
These contracts include a Rs 5,700 crore deal for high-explosive pre-fragmented ammunition and a Rs 4,500 crore deal for area denial munitions. These orders will provide the necessary ammunition for the 10 Pinaka regiments already formed, with additional regiments in the pipeline.
The Pinaka rocket system has already proven its worth in the Indian Army, especially with some regiments deployed in high-altitude regions along the northern borders with China. Developed by the DRDO the Pinaka rocket system has seen impressive advancements. It boasts an extended range of up to 75 km, with plans in place to enhance it further to 120 km and eventually 300 km. Several countries from regions like ASEAN, Africa, and Europe have expressed interest in acquiring the Pinaka system, further solidifying India’s growing presence in the global defense market.
