Article Posted on : - Feb 20, 2025

A PIB photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): The government today signed a contract worth Rs 1220.12 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited for procurement of 149 state-of-the-art radios for the Indian Coast Guard that will enable secure and reliable information sharing and situational awareness through high-speed data, the Defence Ministry said.

Additionally, these radios will "enhance interoperability" for joint operations with the Indian Navy, it said.

The ministry signed the contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru, for "procurement of 149 software defined radios for the Indian Coast Guard at a total cost of Rs 1220.12 crore under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category".

IDDM stands for Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured.

"These state-of-the-art radios will enable secure and reliable information sharing, collaboration and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication," the ministry said.

This will strengthen the Coast Guard's "capability to fulfil its core responsibilities, including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations, fisheries protection and marine environment protection", the statement said.

The project is a "strategic step" toward bolstering the Coast Guard's operational capabilities and supporting the government of India's Blue Economy objectives by reinforcing maritime security, the ministry said.

"Aligning with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, the contract will enhance the country's manufacturing capabilities for advanced military-grade communication systems, generating employment opportunities and fostering expertise development," it added.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Defence said it has signed contracts with ACE Limited and JCB India Limited in presence of Defence Secretary R K Singh for procurement of "1,868 Rough Terrain Fork Lift Truck (RTFLT) at a total cost of Rs 697.35 crore for Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy".

RTFLT is a "critical equipment which will assist in various combat and logistics support tasks by avoiding manual handling of enormous number of stores" and thus enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Army, IAF and the Navy, it said.

"The present case being a Buy (Indian) case will enhance national defence equipment manufacturing capabilities. This project has immense potential of direct and indirect employment generation by encouraging MSME sector through component's manufacturing. The procurement marks a pivotal step towards modernising India's defence infrastructure and empowering indigenous industries, which will be a proud flag-bearer of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'," the ministry said.