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SAM) which is the land launch version of the
Barak 8 missile system. The IAF will procure
18 MR-SAM Squadrons and LR-SAMs have
already fitted aboard the Navy’s Kolkata Class
Destroyers and would also be fitted on all its [ REPORT ]
major warships in the future.
Jointly developed by The Defence Research
& Development Organisation (DRDO) and
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), induction of
MR-SAM which can detect incoming enemy
aircraft at a distance of 100 km and destroy
them at ranges upto 70 km is slated early this
year. The LR-SAM development programme
cost is approximately INR26 billion and the con-
tract was inked in January 2006. The MR-SAM
development programme cost is approximately
INR100 billion and the contract was inked in
February 2009.
Infrared (IIR) seeker in Lock-On-Before-Launch (LOBL) mode. The
QR-SAM all-weather weapon has a maximum engagement range of 4 km
Also under development for the Indian Army and a minimum engagement range of 500m.
is the DRDO Quick Reaction SAM (QRSAM),
which has flight tested in its full deployment DRDO has also developed the NAG missile carrier (NAMICA),
Atul Chandra which is based on the Russian BMP-2 platform and it can carry
six ATGMs. Productionisation and induction of the missile into the
Indian Army is now awaited. Also under development is the indig-
enous \ low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Antitank Guided
Missile (MPATGM), which completed its third test in September
2019. The missile features a state-of-the-art IIR seeker along with
advanced avionics.

In addition to ATGMs developed by DRDO, the Army has also
placed orders for Spike Long Range (LR) ATGMs from Israel. The
4th Generation ATGMs feature a Dual Mode Seeker of the system
allows precise engagement both during day and night. India was to
configuration in December 2019. Developmental earlier acquire more than 8,000 Spike ATGMs but an order worth
trials have been successfully completed and approximately US$500 million was cancelled in 2018.
the weapon system is expected to be ready for
induction by 2021. The highly mobile QRSAM Growing in Confidence
weapon system, comprises of fully automated The current generation of Indian made defence equipment being
Command and Control System, Active Array ordered/inducted can be considered the 3rd generation of indig-
Battery Surveillance Radar, Active Array Battery enously designed and developed military products. DRDO began
Multifunction Radar and Launcher. Both radars substantive development of defence equipment in India in the
are four-walled having 360-degree coverage 1980s. In the last five years alone (2014-2019), as per Indian
with search on move and track on move capa- Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures, DRDO has delivered 45 differ-
bility. The single stage solid propelled missile ent systems/ equipment such as Sonars, Radars, Software Defined
has an indigenously developed midcourse Radios (SDRs), Missile Systems, Gun Systems, Munitions, Bridging
Inertial Navigation System with two-way Data Equipment etc worth INR1.18 Trillion.
Link and terminal active seeker. The vehicle
mounted Phased Array Radar has also been In a further boost to Indian industry, since 2014, the MoD has inked
indigenously developed. more than 180 contracts valued at more than INR 1.96 Trillion.
Between 2016-2019 Indian defence exports for supply of Patrol
NAG ATGM Vessels, Helicopters, Sonars and Radars, Avionics, Radar Warning
DRDO completed summer user trials of its NAG Receivers(RWR), Small Arms, Small Caliber Ammunition, Grenades,
(Serpent) third Generation Anti-Tank Guided Telecommunication equipment, Coastal Surveillance, Simulators,
Missile (ATGM) in severe desert heat conditions Bullet Proof Jackets and Body Armour have amounted to INR 169
in July 2019. Winter trials had been completed billion. India is aiming to increase its defence exports to USD5
in February 2019. The third-generation fire billion (INR 350 billion) by 2025 and missile systems will likely play
and forget class ATGM and uses an Imaging a major role in achieving this target.

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