Mumbai, July 02, 2006 (Zee News)

Aiming to emerge as one of the prime contractors for defence supplies to the Armed Forces, Tata Power expects bulk orders for manufacturing launchers for India's indigenous Akash anti-aircraft missile system.

The company which had already bagged two major contracts, including Rs 172 crore order to deliver Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers to the Indian Army, is seeking to emerge as a reliable partner for the Armed Forces by equipping them to meet the needs of their emerging doctrines in the era of network-enabled warfare.

The Tata Group had earlier announced that it would be investing about Rs 1,000 crore in defence production and R&D over the next 3 years and expects revenues to the tune of Rs 2,300 crore.

"We want to be a leading player in the strategic electronics space. Tata Power delivered mobile missile launcher platform for Akash and we expect, to get a orders once the services decide to induct the missile system," Tata Power strategic electronics division CEO Rahul Chaudhry told reporters.

The company has developed the mobile missile launcher for Akash. The launcher was successfully tested at the integrated missile firing range at Balasore in the eastern cost of the country.

The missile system has completed more than 50 test trials and DRDO sources said the induction would take place in the current fiscal after the final round tests in Pokhran.

The company, which recently bagged the Rs 172-crore order for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers will be delivering the product in 33 months for two regiments of the Indian Army. "And we expect more orders for Pinaaka," Choudhary said.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, Pinaka is all weather, indirect fire, free flight, area saturation weapon system.

It consists of a multi-barrel rocket launcher vehicle with 12 tubes, three replenishment vehicles, a loader-cum-replenishment vehicle and a fire control system. The weapon system has already entered the services.

"The defence sector opens a great market. India is importing systems and components but now that the market has opened to private players, we are gearing up to meet those challenges and deliver products that would enable armed forces to meet the new challenges," he said.

India's defence budget stood at Rs 83,000 crore during the last fiscal up 7.8 per cent as against Rs 77,000 crore allocated an year ago. This would include an allocation of Rs 34,375 crore for capital expenditure.