New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) today signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru for the procurement of 149 Software Defined Radios for the Indian Coast Guard at a total cost of ₹1220.12 crore under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) category. The Ministry also signed contracts with ACE Limited and JCB India Limited for the procurement of quantity 1868 Rough Terrain Fork Lift Truck (RTFLT) at a total cost of ₹697.35 crore for the Indian Army, Indian Airforce and Indian Navy.
The state-of-the-art radios will enable secure and reliable information sharing, collaboration, and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication. “This will strengthen the Indian Coast Guard’s capability to fulfil its core responsibilities, including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations, fisheries protection, and marine environment protection,” the Ministry said. Additionally, these radios will enhance interoperability for joint operations with the Indian Navy.
“The project is a strategic step toward bolstering the Coast Guard’s operational capabilities and supporting the Government of India’s Blue Economy objectives by reinforcing maritime security. Aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the contract will enhance the country’s manufacturing capabilities for advanced military-grade communication systems, generating employment opportunities and fostering expertise development,” the Ministry stated.
Rough Terrain Fork Lift Truck (RTFLT) is a critical piece of equipment which will assist in various combat and logistics support tasks by avoiding manual handling of the enormous number of stores and thus enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
“The present case being a Buy (Indian) case will enhance national defence equipment manufacturing capabilities. This project has immense potential for direct and indirect employment generation by encouraging the MSME sector through component manufacturing,” the Ministry stated. The procurement marks a pivotal step towards modernising India’s defence infrastructure and empowering indigenous industries, which will be a proud flag-bearer of ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’, it added.
– global bihari bureau
