Now Reading: Army gets Rs 1,577 crore loiter munition systems in self-reliance push
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Army gets Rs 1,577 crore loiter munition systems in self-reliance push
The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts worth Rs 1,577 crore with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and NIBE Private Limited to procure loiter munition systems for the Indian Army. The deal,…
The Story in Brief
The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts worth Rs 1,577 crore with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and NIBE Private Limited to procure loiter munition systems for the Indian Army. The deal, inked on August 14, 2026 in New Delhi, was processed under the Buy Indian category through Fast Track Procedure.
The system can strike targets up to 100 km, filling a precision gap beyond the 40-50 km range of current artillery. TASL will supply 54 systems and 540 munitions for Rs 1,013.77 crore, and NIBE 30 systems and 300 munitions for Rs 563.36 crore. The Hindu reports the contract mandates 60% indigenous content overall, with at least 50% from Indian materials and software. Delivery is due within 12 months of advance payment.
The Indian Opinion
The Rs 1,577 crore loiter munition deal checks many boxes: bolstering the Army at a critical range, meeting the 60% indigenous content threshold, and doing it on a fast track. But the real test lies in delivery timelines and battlefield reliability, not just contract signing. Past indigenous defence projects have stumbled on production delays. Watch whether TASL and NIBE actually hand over all 84 systems within the promised 12 months.
Sources (2): economictimes.indiatimes.com, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
