The Defence Ministry, in a significant development on Friday, greenlit the procurement of nine maritime surveillance aircraft earmarked for the Indian Navy, as confirmed by sources within the Defence establishment.
Additionally, it was disclosed that the Ministry granted approval for the acquisition of six maritime patrol aircraft intended for deployment by the Indian Coast Guard.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that these 15 maritime patrol aircraft are slated to be manufactured based on the domestically produced C-295 transport aircraft, reflecting a substantial project valuation estimated at approximately Rs 29,000 crore.
In a separate development earlier this week, the Ministry of Defence inked a contract valued at Rs 1,752.13 crore with a firm based in Kanpur for the production and delivery of 463 locally manufactured 12.7 mm stabilised remote control guns, designated for utilization by both the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
The Ministry of Defence underscored the significance of this procurement in bolstering the agenda of "Aatmanirbharta in Defence", asserting that it will not only reinforce domestic manufacturing capabilities but also foster opportunities for more than 125 Indian vendors and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) over five years.
