The Indian Ministry of Defence has signed a INR2,000 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
The deal is for new fire control radars (FCR) for the Indian Army’s air defence units.
These radars can detect aircraft, helicopters, and drones. They will also help direct weapons toward airborne targets. The Ministry said this is part of its plan to modernise the Army’s air defence system.
The contract includes a promise of at least 70% local production. The radars will be developed and built in India.
Officials say the system will provide accurate data about a target’s location, speed, and direction. This information will help in tracking and shooting down aerial threats.
The Army already uses air defence systems like the Akash missile. These radars will work alongside such systems to expand defence coverage.
Multiple experts have criticised the recent Indian military spending, with one saying, “The BJP-RSS regime, cornered by growing domestic backlash and eroding legitimacy, is using militarisation as a smokescreen to mask its failures.”
“This is not merely about defensive preparedness—it is a clear continuation of the aggressive posture that began with the Operation Sindoor misadventure.”
Furthermore, senior Indian military officials have issued inflammatory statements against Pakistan multiple times, with CDS Gen Chauhan saying, “We have to be readily prepared all year as Operation Sindoor is still ongoing.”
Another security expert highlighted, “Senior officials have openly signaled that Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, and the urgency of such procurements, with shortened timelines and 70% indigenous content, suggests preparation for further offensives rather than any de-escalation.”
“By wrapping this deal in the rhetoric of ‘self-reliance’ and ‘Make in India,’ the BJP government seeks to manufacture patriotism while quietly laying the groundwork for the next military adventure,” the expert warned.
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