New Delhi : With the aim of further strengthening its military powers amid tensions with China at the border, the Ministry of Defense signed a Rs 2580 crore deal to buy the Pinaka rocket launcher. The Ministry of Defense on Monday signed an agreement with two leading domestic defense companies to buy Pinaka rocket launchers for six military regiments at a cost of Rs 2580 crore. Officials said that the Pinaka regiment would be deployed along the Indian border with China and Pakistan to increase operational preparedness of the military forces.
Contracts have been signed with Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) while Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), a defense sector public sector undertaking, has also been made part of the project. BEML will supply vehicles on which rocket launchers will be mounted.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the six Pinaka regiments will also have ‘Automated Gun Aiming and Positioning System (AGAPS)’ along with 114 launchers and 45 command posts. The statement said that the missile regiment is planned to start operations by 2024.
It said that the weapon system would have 70 percent indigenous content and the project was approved by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) has been developed by DRDO.