India Clears 80,000 Crore Defence Deals for Nuclear Submarines and Predator Drone
In the largest defence deals worth ?80,000 crore, the Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared major defence contracts, which will give significant boosts to the Indian Navy and ensure major enhancements in the capabilities of surveillance forces. The deals include the indigenous construction of two nuclear-powered attack submarines and procurement of 31 Predator drones from the United States.
Reportedly, the addition of two nuclear submarines will increase the operational capacity of the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region manyfold. The submarines are being constructed at Ship Building Centre in Vishakhapatnam by an estimated cost of ?45,000 crore. Significantly, the private sector companies would be significantly involved in this project; in this case, Larsen and Toubro to name one. The Indian Navy has given high importance to this acquisition to fill the existing gaps in underwater capability and is looking to go in for a total of six such submarines in its future plans.
The new submarines are going to come under the Advanced Technology Vessel project, which is different from the five nuclear submarines that are presently being constructed under the Arihant class at the same facility.
It has also cleared the purchase of 31 Predator drones made by American firm General Atomics under a Foreign Military Sales agreement between the two countries. The deal was time-sensitive and would need to receive approvals before October 31. And within days, the deal will come into existence. After that, the Indian armed forces can expect the arrival of the drones within a period of four years.
The drones will be shared between the Indian Navy and eight for the Army and the Indian Air Force that will also operate at two bases in Uttar Pradesh. Indian-made equipment from DRDO, even from the private firm Solar Industries may go into the drones as part of the Make in India program, thereby making them a vital future asset for peacetime surveillance.
