MoD clears procurement of Akash Missile for army

The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday approved the purchase of two regiments of Akash air defence missiles that are better than the earlier version of the indigenous missile.

The new missile is an upgraded version of the weapon inducted previously in the army and the air force. The upgraded missile includes seeker technology, possess 360 degrees coverage and will have a reduced footprint. The two regiments are for the army.

The upgraded Akash weapon system is an operationally critical equipment which will provide protection to vital assets, the ministry stated.

The decision to purchase two regiments of the homegrown air defence missiles from Bharat Dynamics Limited was taken by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The DAC approved procurement worth Rs 9,100 crore, including the Akash missiles.

The council also accorded approval for progressing with the design and development of Individual Under Water Breathing Apparatus (IUWBA) for T-90 Tanks.

Developed by Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL), one of the laboratories under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the IUWBA is used by the tank crew as a safety gear and is required for emergency escape when negotiating water obstacles while deep fording.

The DAC also accorded approval for design and development of test equipment for guided weapons system of T-90 tank. Being developed by DRDO, it will offer an indigenous solution to the imported test equipment used for checking the guided weapon system of T-90 tanks.