NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Friday inked a Rs 1,350 crore contract with Mahindra Defence Systems Limited (MDS) to manufacture 14 integrated anti-submarine warfare defence suites (IADS) for front-line warships of the Navy.
“The IADS comes with an integrated capability for detecting enemy submarines and torpedoes at extended ranges as well as diverting incoming torpedoes fired by enemy submarines. It will enhance the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capability,” said an official. With a complex array of sensors, the IADS undertakes surveillance and provides inputs for signal processing and analysis to enable necessary action against underwater threats.
Officials said the contract with an Indian firm under the ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ category of defence procurement is an important boost to India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission and provides a major fillip to indigenous defence industry in technology development and production. MDS was selected for the contract through an open tender that saw comprehensive testing. “It is the first major contract with the private sector meant for underwater detection and protection from threats,” said MDS chairman S P Shukla.
