The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts worth Rs50.83bn ($552.41m) for the acquisition of helicopters and missiles for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
Signed on 3 March 2026, the deal includes Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III (Maritime Role) for the Indian Coast Guard and Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch – Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
For the ALH Mk-III (MR), the MoD has engaged Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with a contract worth Rs29.01bn.
Concluded under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) category, the agreement covers the aircraft, operational role equipment, an engineering support package and performance-based logistics support.
According to the ministry, these twin-engine ALH Mk-III (MR) aircraft can carry out maritime security missions from shore establishments and from ships.
The Indian Coast Guard plans to use them for duties that include safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore installations, fishermen, and the marine environment.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe helicopter project provides for supply of equipment from more than 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and is projected to create about 6.5 million man-hours of employment.
The ministry stated that the contract aligns with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives and is intended to add to the existing maritime security framework.
In a separate agreement, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs21.82bn contract with JSC Rosoboronexport of the Russian Federation for the procurement of Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch – Shtil missiles and associated missile holding frames for the Indian Navy.
The missiles are planned for deployment on frontline warships to increase air defence coverage against aerial threats.
The system will add to the existing layered air defence framework on Indian Navy platforms by offering rapid-reaction, all-weather engagement capability and increasing survivability in contested maritime environments.
“The contract further underscores the longstanding and time-tested defence partnership between India and Russia, founded on mutual trust and strategic alignment,” a statement from MoD said.
Separately, on 2 March 2026, the ministry concluded a contract with Shoft Shipyard in India for the construction of four 500-tonne self-propelled fuel barges for the Indian Navy.
The barges will be built under the Classification Rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).
The primary function of the new barges will be to replenish fuel to ships and submarines in harbour and at anchorage.
The ministry stated that with this contract, the Indian Navy “continues to encourage and bolster the growth of MSME Shipyards thereby contributing immensely towards the domestic shipbuilding ecosystem in line with Maritime India Vision 2030.”
In January this year, the MoD entered into contracts totalling $518m to procure Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbines and Heavy Weight Torpedoes.
