New Delhi, Apr 8 (KNN) The Defence Ministry on Monday finalised a Rs 2,385 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for electronic warfare (EW) suites, modification kits and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force’s Mi-17 V5 helicopters, marking a significant advancement in self-reliance within India’s defence manufacturing sector.

The state-of-the-art electronic warfare suite will substantially enhance the operational survivability of these helicopters in hostile environments, according to a statement released by the Defence Ministry.

The majority of sub-assemblies and parts will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers, with the project expected to encourage active participation from Indian electronics and associated industries, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

This contract was signed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, which stands for Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured, representing the highest priority acquisition category for indigenisation under the country’s defence procurement policy.

India has implemented various measures in recent years to boost self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

These initiatives include imposing phased import restrictions on different types of weapons and systems, establishing a separate budget allocation for locally manufactured military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) limits from 49 per cent to 74 per cent, and improving ease of doing business in the sector.

(KNN Bureau)