Indian MoD Awards $352.4M Contracts to Local Firms Under Pinaka Project

Indian Ministry of Defence has awarded local defence contractors BEML, Tata Power and Larsen & Toubro contracts worth INR 2580 Crores ($352.4 million) to provide Pinaka multibarrel rocket launcher (MBRL) system.

“Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence has today signed contracts with Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML), Tata Power Company Ltd. (TPCL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for supply of Six Pinaka Regiments to the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army at an approximate cost of INR 2580 Crore,” Indian MoD said in a statement August 31.

These Six Pinaka Regiments comprise 114 Launchers with Automated Gun Aiming & Positioning System (AGAPS) and 45 Command Posts to be procured from TPCL and L&T and 330 Vehicles to be procured from BEML.

These Six Pinaka Regiments will be operationalised along the Northern and Eastern Borders of the country. Induction of Six Pinaka Regiments is planned to be completed by 2024.

“BEML is proud to support the ‘Make in India’ project for supply of 330 BEML Heavy Duty Trucks for the Pinaka regiments. The company has bagged orders worth ₹842 Crore from Ministry of Defence. Another step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat,” BEML spokesperson said in a Twitter statement Monday.

Recently, India quadrupled production rate of indigenous Pinaca rockets by building an automated assembly line at Ordnance Factory, Chandrapur.

Pinaka multi-barrel launcher system

Pinaka is built by the private sector after a technology transfer agreement with state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a multifaceted system integrating high energy propulsion, sub-munition warheads, servo-controlled launcher configuration and fire control computer.

The MBRL system is mounted on 8×8 BEML truck. Each battery is composed of six launcher vehicles, six loader-cum replenishment vehicles and two command post vehicles. Each launcher vehicle carries two pods, housing a total of 12 rockets.