On Friday, the Defence Ministry sealed a deal worth over Rs 5,300 crore with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) for electronic fuzes. BEL will supply these crucial components to the Indian Army for the next 10 years. These electronic fuzes are vital for medium to heavy calibre artillery guns, ensuring sustained firepower during military operations. The objective is to boost ammunition stocks, reduce reliance on imports, and attain self-sufficiency in ammunition manufacturing.
Bharat Electronics Ltd Secures the Deal for Electronic Fuzes
The Ministry of Defence signed the contract with state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) for procuring electronic fuzes for the Indian Army, spanning 10 years, at a total cost of Rs 5,336.25 crore. The ministry highlighted that these fuzes are specifically acquired for usage in artillery guns capable of lethal engagements across diverse terrains, including high-altitude areas along the northern borders. The project’s primary aim is to build up ammunition stocks, strategically working towards minimizing imports and achieving self-sufficiency in this critical area.
The ministry said in a statement,
“As part of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision, this contract has been signed for ammunition procurement under ‘manufacture of ammunition for Indian Army by Indian industry’, a government initiative for a long-term requirement of 10 years.”
Boosting Employment and Indian Industry Participation
BEL, based in Pune with an upcoming Nagpur Plant, will manufacture electronic fuzes, a vital component of medium to heavy-calibre artillery guns. The contract is set to create employment for 150,000 man-days, fostering the active involvement of Indian industries, including MSMEs, in ammunition manufacturing. This initiative aims to broaden the ammunition manufacturing ecosystem in the country. These electronic fuzes, crucial for artillery firepower in military operations, will be procured for deployment in artillery guns capable of lethal engagements across various terrains, including high-altitude areas along the Northern Borders.
Electronic Fuzes for Artillery Guns Enhance Military Operations
Electronic fuzes, vital for medium to heavy calibre artillery guns, are essential for providing artillery firepower in military operations. These fuzes will be obtained for usage in artillery guns capable of lethal engagements across various terrains, including high-altitude areas along the Northern Borders. This development follows the recent approval by the defence ministry of a Rs 2,800 crore proposal for acquiring approximately 6,400 rockets for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems. Together, these projects are set to significantly bolster the capabilities of the Indian Army in the coming decade.
BEL Hits Record
BEL has achieved a record-high with orders totalling Rs 18,298 crore in the fiscal year 2023-24. Notably, this includes a substantial annual maintenance contract (AMC) of radars valued at Rs 580 crore from the Indian Army. Additional orders linked to AMC amount to Rs 3,335 crore, among other contracts. As reported earlier, the government-owned company had anticipated further contracts totalling Rs 6,000 crore by year-end, and the recent Rs 5,336.25 crore contract has fulfilled a significant portion of that projection.
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