Eyes in space, more firepower underwater: How India's ₹4,106-crore defence deals will boost IAF, Navy

The defence ministry, on Thursday, announced that it signed two major defence contracts worth approximately ₹4,106 crore, aimed at strengthening the secure communication capabilities of the Indian Air Force and enhancing the Indian Navy's ability to detect and engage enemy submarines.

The two deals are: acquisition of the indigenous GSAT-7C communication satellite for the IAF and Varunastra heavyweight torpedoes for the Navy.

The ₹2,563-crore contract for the GSAT-7C communication satellite was signed with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Bengaluru.

The indigenously designed, developed and manufactured satellite is intended to provide the IAF a dedicated communication capability, improving connectivity among its operational assets. "This indigenously designed, developed and manufactured satellite will enhance the secure, resilient and seamless communication capabilities for the assets of the Indian Air Force, thereby strengthening operational effectiveness," the defence ministry said in a statement.

NSIL is a government-owned public sector undertaking under the Department of Space, responsible for producing, assembling and integrating launch vehicles through an industry consortium.

The second contract, worth ₹1,543 crore, was signed with Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad, for the acquisition of indigenous Varunastra heavyweight torpedoes.

Developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Varunastra is a ship-launched anti-submarine weapon designed to engage enemy submarines at long ranges. It is capable of targeting submarines operating in both shallow and deep waters, expanding the Indian Navy's anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the defence ministry said.

The torpedo incorporates advanced manoeuvring capabilities, autonomous guidance algorithms and acoustic homing technology to track underwater targets, according to BDL.

Its acoustic homing system has a wide look angle and is capable of tracking silent targets. Varunastra also features acoustic counter-countermeasure (ACCM) capabilities and a multiple-signal tracking system.

The torpedo's low-drift navigation system is designed to support operations over long endurance, while its advanced manoeuvring capabilities allow it to engage underwater targets.

The Varunastra torpedo, with a length of 7.780 metres and a diameter of 533.4 mm, can operate at speeds of 27 and 40 knots and is designed to function at depths ranging from 8 metres to 600 metres.

The torpedo uses contrarotating propellers for propulsion and weighs approximately 1,605 kg in its exercise configuration and 1,850 kg in its combat configuration.

"Both contracts mark a significant step towards advancing the development of domestic defence manufacturing capabilities while promoting self-reliance in critical technologies in line with the Government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make-in-India’ vision," the defence ministry statement read.

The contracts were signed in the presence of Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition), Department of Defence, A. Anbarasu.