The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday, 3 March, signed contracts worth a total of ₹5,083 crore for the acquisition of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III (Maritime Role) for the Indian Coast Guard and Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch – Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy. The contracts were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh at South Block, New Delhi.
The contract for six ALH Mk-III (MR) helicopters, valued at ₹2,901 crore, has been signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) category.
The deal also includes operational role equipment, an engineering support package, and performance-based logistics support, the MoD said in a statement.
The twin-engine helicopters incorporate state-of-the-art features superior to currently operated airborne platforms and are capable of undertaking a wide spectrum of maritime security missions from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea.
According to the ministry, their induction is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Coast Guard’s capability for safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore installations, and protection of fishermen and the marine environment.
The project envisages supply of equipment from more than 200 MSMEs and is expected to generate approximately 65 lakh man-hours of employment, the ministry said.
In a separate contract valued at ₹2,182 crore, the Ministry has signed an agreement with JSC Rosoboronexport, Russian Federation, for the procurement of Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch – Shtil missiles along with associated missile holding frames for the Indian Navy.
According to the ministry, the acquisition is intended to enhance the air defence capabilities of frontline warships against a wide spectrum of aerial threats.
The system will reinforce the layered air defence architecture onboard Indian Navy platforms by providing rapid-reaction, all-weather engagement capability and improved survivability in contested maritime environments, the ministry said.
The contract also underscores the longstanding defence partnership between India and Russia based on mutual trust and strategic alignment, the ministry added.
