Key facts
- Around 10 bids were submitted by Indian public and private sector firms for the Rs 30,000 crore UAV deal.
- The deal is for 87 Medium-Altitude Long-Range, Endurance unmanned aerial vehicles for the Indian Air Force.
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, and Larsen and Toubro are among the bidders.
- The project aims to reduce India's reliance on foreign defence equipment.
- The drones will feature advanced surveillance and combat capabilities, including ISR and potential integration with indigenous missile systems.
Ten Indian defence firms have submitted bids for a significant deal to supply 87 Medium-Altitude Long-Range, Endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Indian Air Force, a project valued at over Rs 30,000 crore. The deadline for bid submission was the day of the report.
Among the companies participating are state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and private sector players such as Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Larsen and Toubro, Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited, AdDefence Systems Limited, and Raphe mPhibr Ltd. The Defence Ministry aims to boost domestic manufacturing through this mega project, which was cleared last year.
The drones are intended for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, with the capability to strike targets. Officials indicated plans to integrate indigenous missile systems with these UAVs. The specifications for the drones were finalized after a comprehensive study to meet the growing need for effective border surveillance, particularly along the borders with Pakistan and China. This initiative seeks to reduce the Indian armed forces' reliance on foreign suppliers like the United States and Israel for their drone requirements.
The Defence Ministry had extended the bid submission timelines twice to provide Indian firms with sufficient time to prepare their proposals.