Indian Government has approved the proposal to produce 2000 Pinaka Rockets at a whooping cost of Rs 1500 Crores. Pinaka is a multi barrel rocket launching system and is used by the various regiments of army.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has given a nod to the proposal moved by the Defense Ministry for upgrading the capabilities of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for producing these rockets.
As per the proposal, OFB, under the Department of Defence Production, will upgrade facilities at nine of its factories engaged in the production of Pinaka rockets.
With a focus on indigenization to avoid scams in acquisition of foreign military hardware, the Defense Ministry has also decided to pump in Rs 15,000 crore to augment domestic military production.
The major plans of OFB include augmentation of production capabilities for T-90 and T-72 tanks, engines for armored vehicles and setting up of 155mm howitzer production plants.
The Ministry’s Department of Defense Production has decided to hike the allocation from Rs 583 crore during the 11th Plan period to Rs 15,000 crore for modernization of the production capabilities of OFB during the current Plan.
After the recent VVIP chopper scam, Defense Minister A K Antony had stated that indigenous defense production was the only answer to avoid such scandals. The Ministry would change policies in that regard, he had said.
OFB list includes upgrading of 130mm M46 field artillery guns to 155 mm 45 calibre standard, development of 155 mm 52 calibre mounted howitzers and integration of the 105 mm field guns on BMP combat vehicles.