Defence Thrust Manifests in Operation Sindoor's Success

Operation Sindoor, India's strikes on terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack, may have been the crowning moment for Narendra Modi in the first year of his third term as Prime Minister, but the year also saw a raft of key developments in the defence sector that served to boost the military's combat readiness, officials tracking the sector said.

- Rahul Singh

NEW DELHI:

These include the signing of several big-ticket deals, initiating long-awaited reforms, induction of new weapons and systems, showcasing new capabilities, and bolstering border infrastructure, they said.

A key highlight of the year was the disengagement of Indian and Chinese armies from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh last October, the last two flashpoints along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC). The development allowed the two armies to get past a two-year impasse in negotiations and reduce border tensions that began in May 2020.

The key deals signed included a ₹63,000-crore contract with France to buy 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for the navy, another one worth ₹62,700 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 156 Prachand light combat helicopters for the army and air force, a ₹13,500-crore contract for 12 Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, a ₹7,629-crore contract with Larsen & Toubro for 100 self-propelled K9 Vajra-T guns and a ₹7,000-crore order for 307 locally made artillery guns.

One of the most significant capability enhancements came last August when the navy commissioned its second indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arighaat—a step towards strengthening the country's nuclear triad or ability to launch strategic weapons from land, sea and air.