Defence Ministry to sign Rs 10,200 crore Pinaka rocket deal today

The Ministry of Defence is set to sign a Rs 10,200 crore contract with Solar Industries and public sector company Munitions India Limited MIL in Nagpur today for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher weapon system and ammunition. The Cabinet Committee on Security last week cleared a proposal for the Indian Army to procure ammunition, including ammunition, for the sector, defense officials said.

Pinaka Rocket System
The project will be shared between Nagpur-based rocket maker Solar Industries and former Ordnance Factory Board company Municisons India Ltd. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi had said at the annual press conference on January 13 that the contract for Rs 5,700 crore for explosive ammunition, Rs 4,500 crore for ammunition and Pinaka weapon system ammunition will soon be approved by the government.

Pinaka Rocket to have Long-Range Version

DRDO is already in the fresh stages of developing a 120-km range version of the Pinaka rocket and its first trial is expected to be conducted in the next year. The rockets approved by the CCS today have a range of around 45 km and can be very effective on both Pakistan and China borders. This is one of the biggest success stories in indigenous weapon systems, the Army is fully backing it as Army Chief General Dwivedi has already made it clear that as soon as the long-range versions of Pinaka are ready, the Army may drop plans for other alternative weapons.