Made in India Netra, Pinaka Systems attract European, Southeast Asian interest
Jun 19, 2024
Paris (France), June 19 : At the Eurosatory 2024 Defence Show in Paris, India's indigenous military technologies, including the Netra airborne early warning and control aircraft and the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems, have garnered attention from European and Southeast Asian nations interested in acquiring these advanced systems.
The systems are part of the Indian weapon platforms and technologies on display at the India pavilion at the ongoing Eurosatory 2024 Defence Show in Paris.
"Some of the European and South East Asian countries have shown interest in the Netra AEW&C aircraft and the Pinaka rocket launcher systems. We are hoping to progress the discussions with the possible customers for these products," a defence official, familiar with the matter, told ANI.
The AEWC is a system developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems and two of their aircraft are already flying with the Indian Air Force giving wide coverage of the adversaries' activities along both western and northern front of the country.
The Indian forces are going to get 12 more of these airborne systems in different configurations.
Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems developed by the DRDO and manufactured by different private and public sector firms has also attracted interest from some European countries.
The weapon system is one of the first few Indian military terms to have been exported to foreign countries, including Armenia.
Private sector companies involved in the project include Larsen & Toubro, Tata Defence and Economic Explosives Limited.
As part of larger artillery modernisation plans, the army has a requirement of 23 regiments of the Pinaka MBRL.
India has been making serious efforts towards promoting defence exports that have touched a record Rs 21,083 crore (about USD 2.63 Billion) in the Financial Year (FY) 2023-24, a growth of 32.5 per cent over the last fiscal when the figure was Rs 15,920 crore.
The figures indicate that the defence exports have grown by 31 times in the last 10 years as compared to 2013-14.
Indian companies have been able to find global customers for many indigenous systems including Armenia which has ordered multiple systems in view of its ongoing tensions with Azerbaijan.
