Solar Gets ₹6,000 Crore Pinaka Contract, Munitions India Bags ₹4,000 Crore Deal
Nagpur, India: The Indian government has approved a ₹10,000 crore deal to buy ammunition for the Army’s Pinaka rocket launcher system. The decision was made by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in a meeting on Wednesday, according to defence sources.
The ammunition includes Area Denial Munitions and Pinaka Enhanced Range rockets. It will be produced by two companies—Solar Industries in Nagpur and Munitions India Limited (MIL), which was earlier part of the Ordnance Factory Board.
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi had earlier said that the contract was expected soon. The deal includes ₹5,700 crore for high-explosive ammunition and ₹4,500 crore for area denial munitions.
Meanwhile, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on a longer-range version of the Pinaka rocket, which can hit targets up to 120 km away. It is expected to be tested next year. The ammunition approved by the CCS has a range of about 45 km and will help strengthen India’s defence along the Pakistan and China borders.
The Pinaka system has been a big success for India’s defence industry. The Army strongly supports it, and General Dwivedi has said that once the longer-range versions are ready, the Army may not need other weapon systems.
Pinaka is also gaining popularity in other countries. Armenia has already bought it, and several European nations, including France, have shown interest.
This decision is another step towards India’s goal of becoming self-reliant in defence manufacturing.
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