The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has entered into an agreement with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the procurement of medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM) at an estimated cost of Rs29.6bn ($342.5m).
This deal was formalised through a contract signing ceremony between MoD and BDL representatives, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in attendance, on 16 January 2025, in New Delhi.
Designed to be a standard component on various Indian Naval vessels, the MRSAM system is also slated for integration into a large number of future naval acquisitions.
This contract signifies an important step in the ongoing process to enhance India's defensive strength and localise sophisticated military technologies.
In alignment with the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, BDL will supply these missiles under the 'Buy Indian' category, incorporating substantial domestic content.
The execution of this contract is expected to create around 350,000 mandays of employment within the defence sector, benefiting multiple micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The MRSAM system, also known as Barak 8, is a collaborative effort between DRDL Hyderabad, IAI, and other industry partners. The weapon is also available in Army and Air Force versions.
In 2019, the navy successfully conducted a test launch of the MRSAM to evaluate its cooperative engagement capability.
The trial, which involved Indian Navy destroyers INS Kochi and INS Chennai, demonstrated the ability to control missiles from one ship to intercept different aerial targets at extended distances. The Defense Research and Development Organization of India and Israel Aerospace Industries supervised this exercise.
In 2023, the Indian Navy demonstrating the ability to target and engage anti-ship missiles with successful launches of the MRSAM from INS Visakhapatnam warship and the destroyer INS Mormugao.
Recently, the Indian Navy marked a significant advancement in its capabilities with the commissioning of two new warships and a submarine. The three platforms are Project 17A stealth frigate INS Nilgiri, Project 15B class destroyer INS Surat, and P75 Kalvari-class submarine INS Vaghsheer.
