Indian Army to Acquire Assorted Weapons and Ammunition from Russia

The Indian Army (IA) is in advanced negotiations with Russia to acquire assorted weapons and ammunition to overcome enduring shortfalls and ensure operational preparedness along India’s restive border with Pakistan.
Official sources stated that the IA is seeking launchers and missiles for its 9K338 Igla-S (SA-24 ‘Grinch’) man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADSs), 300 mm rockets for Smerch multiple rocket launch systems, and 125 mm Mango armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot ammunition for T-90S tanks.

Military sources said the equipment and ordnance is expected to be acquired directly by the IA, without Ministry of Defence (MoD) approval, under the recently enhanced financial powers delegated to the vice chiefs of staff of all three Indian military services. In November 2018 the MoD authorised a five-fold increase in the purchasing power of the respective vice chiefs to INR5 billion (USD71.8 million).

The ordnance purchases will involve multiple contracts, but the exact quantities and overall cost are still being worked out between New Delhi and Moscow, according to the sources.

Details have only become available regarding the proposed procurement of the Igla-S MANPADSs. The system was shortlisted for acquisition in November 2018 over Saab’s RBS 70 NG and MBDA’s Mistral systems following trials.

The MoD was poised to award Russian export agency Rosoboronexport a USD1.5 billion contract to supply the IA with 5,175 missiles and 800 launchers for the Igla-S. This came about after Russia’s KB Mashinostroyenya had emerged as the lowest bidder.

Russia has also offered to ‘refurbish’ the launchers used in the IA’s ageing Igla-M systems to enable them to fire the missiles used by the Igla-S.

Source: NDT

Image Courtesy: RusembIndia