WINNING A DEFENCE DEAL WITH ARMENIA: INDIA WALLOPED TURKEY

India’s winning 40 Million US dollar contract to supply four Swathi Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) to Armenia beating strong competitors like Russia and Poland has marked a new beginning in India – Armenian defence cooperation.

- PRAKASH PANNEERSELVAM

The Swathi WLR is indigenously designed and developed by Electronic and Radar Establishment (LRDE) - a laboratory under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The Swathi WLR was inducted into the Indian Army in 2017 after extensive trial along the Line of Control (LOC). During 2019 India – Pakistan military standoff at LOC the Swathi WLR played an important role in suppressing heavy artillery fire from Pakistan. The Swathi WLR state-of-the-art PESA radar has a range of 50 kilometres and efficient in locating enemy’s weapon like mortars, shells and unguided rockets firing within its area of coverage. The above factor and competitive pricing must have swung the deal in favour of India. Given the security threat to Armenia, SWATHI WLR is expected to play a significant role in neutralizing rocket attacks from Azerbaijan. But there is also strategic importance to the defence deal that is aimed at to counter Turkey’s hostile behaviours towards India.