The Indian Navy is likely to induct Kawach rockets into service in 2013, Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) director general and chairman DM Gupta has said.

“We have made two prototypes and the first trial has been successfully conducted while the second trial will be conducted sometime this year before its final induction into the Indian Navy in 2013,” he added.

The Kawach rockets, being developed by OFB, have a range of 40km and are being designed for launch from Indian Navy submarines.

OFB has plans to invest $1.4bn over the next five years to produce new products that include next-generation assault rifles, artillery guns, ammunitions and very-short-range air defence missiles.