In a boost to the government's initiative to make India's defence sector Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant), the Defence Ministry put pen to paper sealing a contract to supply six Pinaka regiments, a system of rocket launchers, to the Indian Army at an approximate cost of Rs 2,580 crore by 2024. The contract with Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), Tata Power Company Ltd (TPCL), and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) calls for use of at least 70 percent indigenous "content". It was approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The six Pinaka regiments will be operationalized along the country's Northern and Eastern borders, further enhancing the Army's preparedness in the region which has seen increased "provocative military movements to change the status quo" by Chinese troops. The deal comes just over a week after the first-ever Pinaka rocket launchers exclusively manufactured by the private sector company Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) were test-fired at a firing range in Pokhran and achieved the desired results by accurately hitting targets.
The Pinaka is a DRDO designed and developed a system of multi-barrel rocket launchers and reserves mounted on a vehicle. It was first used during the Kargil War and has since been inducted into the Indian Army in large numbers. One Pinaka regiment consists of 18 systems.
Out of the six new regiments, L&T has been awarded the contract to manufacture four while the balance two will be made by Tata Aerospace and Defence. This would be one of the largest orders placed on the private sector in India from the Army.
The Pinaka program has been a homegrown success story, with two regiments already in service and technology transfer successfully executed by DRDO to the private sector for manufacturing the systems as well as ammunition.
What is Pinaka multi-barrel Rocket Launcher?
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of its integrated guided missile development program, Pinaka is an all-weather, indirect fire, free flight, area saturation weapon system. It consists of a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher vehicle with 12 tubes, three replenishment vehicles, a loader-cum- replenishment vehicle, a fire control system, and the DIGICORA MET radar. A battery of six launchers can neutralize an area of 1,000 m × 800 m.
The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I and 75 km for Mark-II and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds. As of 2020, an upgraded guided-missile version of the system has been test-fired, with a range of over 90 km.
In 1981, in response to the Indian Army's need for a long-range artillery system, the Indian Ministry of Defence sanctioned two confidence-building projects. In July 1983, the Army formulated their General Staff Qualitative Requirement (GSQR) for the system, with planned induction of one Regiment per year from 1994 onwards. This system would eventually replace the Russian BM-21 'Grad' Launchers.
Development began in December 1986, with a sanctioned budget of ₹ 26.47 crores. The development was to be completed in December 1992. Armament Research and Development Establishment, a Pune-based DRDO laboratory, led the development of the system.
