Army to start emergency buy for counterterror operations in Jammu and Kashmir

The domestic defence industry is set to get a slew of orders as the Army is initiating a round of emergency procurements to equip troops for counterterror operations in JK, with the focus being on quickly acquiring protective armour, surveillance systems and a range of drones.

The procurements will be carried out on the lines of a similar process adopted to get equipment after tensions rose with China along the Ladakh border and have come as a major boost to domestic manufacturers as they entail a rapid selection process and delivery within a year.

In the last few rounds of such procurements, local companies have managed to get hundreds of crores worth of orders that have kickstarted cutting edge research and development and given much needed heft to balance sheets.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said the procurements have been approved as a major induction of regular troops has been undertaken in the Poonch-Rajouri areas following escalation of violence. He attributed the escalation of violence to Pakistan, describing it as “the epicentre of terrorism”.

Sources said the procurements will be capped at a maximum price of ₹300 crore each and 8-10 cases are likely to be moved very shortly.