New Delhi: On Thursday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a Rs 2,960 crore contract with state-owned Bharat Dynamics Ltd for the supply of over 70 additional Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MR-SAMs) for the Indian Navy’s frontline warships. These missiles were developed in collaboration with Israel, further enhancing India’s defense capabilities.
The contract, finalized in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, represents a “critical milestone” in the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s defense and advance the indigenization of cutting-edge military technology, a defense ministry official stated.
“The MR-SAM system is now a standard fit on several Indian warships, and it is slated to be integrated into most of the Navy’s future platforms,” the official added.
The MR-SAM system, also known as Barak-8, has already been inducted by the Navy, Indian Air Force (IAF), and Indian Army under three joint projects between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries, with an initial cost of over Rs 30,000 crore.
Designed to target hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles at ranges up to 70 km, the MR-SAMs are deployed on key Navy ships, including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the Kolkata-class destroyers, and the Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, including INS Surat, which was commissioned earlier this week.
Following the Navy and IAF, the Army operationalized its first ‘Abhra’ MR-SAM regiment in February 2023. This unit, based in the 33 Corps, is tasked with defending India’s northeastern frontier with China, including the strategic Siliguri Corridor.
“The MR-SAM provides point and area air defense against a variety of threats, including fighter jets, UAVs, helicopters, guided and unguided munitions, and both subsonic and supersonic cruise missiles,” said an official. “It is capable of engaging multiple targets at ranges of up to 70 km, even in highly saturated scenarios. The missile features an indigenously developed rocket motor and control system for enhanced maneuverability during its terminal phase.”
