Major Make in India defence deals including K-9 Vajra, fighter jet engines on Centre’s agenda

Several crucial ‘Made in India’ defence projects including the proposal for buying more K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers and fighter aircraft engines will be on the Centre’s agenda for final approval after the elections.

The deals were planned to be taken up for approval in March this year but all projects were postponed for decision after elections.

“K-9 Vajra howitzers, engines for the Su-30 MKi fighter aircraft engines and many research and development projects are on the agenda for the Cabinet Committee on Security,” a defence official told ANI.

The defence public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited would be involved in the production of these engines which would be worth around Rs 20,000 crore.

The HAL manufactures these engines for the Su-30 MKI combat aircraft at its facility in Koraput in Odisha and it has a lot of indigenisation.

The engines are taken by the Indian Air Force at regular intervals for their planes but the requirements have accumulated in view of the pandemic and other developments at the international level.

The Centre is also expected to take up the proposal for buying 100 more K-9 Vajra SP howitzers in view of demand by the Indian Army.

The Indian Army had inducted these guns initially to meet its requirements in the plains and desert sector, but now it has been used successfully in the Ladakh sector by the force.

A number of defence research and development programmes of the DRDO are also in the pipeline for clearance and final approval by the government.

The Centre had cleared the projects to buy 61 close-in weapon systems and High Powered Radars in its last meeting before the announcement of the model code of conduct came into force.

The Defence Ministry and the Army, Navy along with the Indian Coast Guard have also given their proposals to the government for inclusion in the 100 days and the 6-month agenda.

Top government functionaries have also made it clear that the work will flow out soon after the poll process is completed.

Mega Indigenous deals like the Rs 65,000 crore worth 97 LCA Mark 1A aircraft programme are also in progress.