Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: In a big boost for the Navy and Indian Coast Guard, the defence ministry on Tuesday signed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore for the acquisition of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III (maritime role) for the Coast Guard and surface-to-air vertical launch-Shtil missiles for the Navy.While the contract for ALH Mk-III (MR) was signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for Rs 2,901 crore, the deal for procurement of Shtil missiles worth Rs 2,182 crore has been signed with Russia’s JSC Rosoboronexport. The two contracts were inked in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi. The missile contract underscores the longstanding and time-tested defence partnership between India and Russia, founded on mutual trust and strategic alignment.The contract for ALH Mk-III (MR) with HAL has been signed under the ‘Buy’ (Indian-indigenously designed, developed and manufactured) category. These twin-engine helicopters incorporate state-of-the-art features superior to the currently operated airborne platforms and are capable of undertaking a wide spectrum of maritime security missions from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea. Their induction will significantly enhance the Indian Coast Guard’s capability to protect artificial islands, offshore installations, and fishermen & marine environment, a ministry release said.The ALH contract, which comes with operational role equipment, an engineering support package and performance-based logistics support, reinforces the govt’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India initiative.Shtil is a Russian-origin naval surface-to-air missile system designed for area air defence on warships. The advanced Shtil-1 variant is used by the Indian Navy on its Shivalik-class and Talwar-class frigates, featuring vertical launch systems with a range of up to 70 km. The acquisition is intended to substantially enhance the air defence capabilities of frontline warships against a wide spectrum of aerial threats. The missile provides all-weather, omnidirectional protection for ships against aircraft, helicopters and anti-ship missiles. Its key features include vertical launch capability, rapid reaction times, a 2–3 second launch interval and the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously.
