New Delhi: The next high-level Defence Procurement Board meeting chaired by the defence secretary, Ajay Kumar will discuss the purchase of an additional 100 K9 Vajra guns (valued at Rs 5,500 crore) along with several other deals that’s on agenda.
The ‘Aatmanirbharta’ or self-reliance commitment of the Indian defence sector was proven with the induction of K9 howitzer, manufactured by Larsen and Toubro.
The Defence Procurement Board meeting will include the three vice-chiefs of the armed forces and a senior representative of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, apart from the defence secretary, Ajay Kumar.
The agenda of the meeting also includes 6,400 guided extended range rockets of the Pinaka rocket launchers and successor air defence guns for the Army.
Rs 6000 crores worth rocket launchers project will be divided between Explosive Economics Ltd and the government-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) depending on who offers the lowest quote (L1) after conforming to accepted standards. The L1 firm will get 60 per cent of the deal and the firm that is L2 will get 40 percent of the deal. Explosive Economics, a Nagpur based firm, has already supplied hand grenades to the Army.
The project for the successor Air Defence Guns for the Army initially was about buying some and making the rest. Now, 220 guns will be made in India. About 140,000 rounds of ammunition are also being procured.
