Defence ministry inks Rs 1,917 crore deals for software-defined radios, trucks

NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Thursday inked contracts worth Rs 1,917 crore for procurement of software-defined radios and rough terrain forklift trucks for the armed forces.

The Coast Guard will get 149 software-defined radios, which will enable secure and reliable information-sharing, collaboration, and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication, under the Rs 1,220 crore deal signed with defence PSU Bharat Electronics in the presence of defence secretary R K Singh.

"It will strengthen the Coast Guard's capability to fulfil its core responsibilities, including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations, fisheries protection, and marine environment protection. Additionally, these radios will enhance interoperability for joint operations with the Navy," an official said. The induction will mark the transition from the existing single-purpose radios in the Coast Guard to multi-band, multi-mode and multi-role radios with secure networking capabilities for seamless information exchange for coordinated operations at sea.

The Rs 697 crore contract for 1,868 forklift trucks for the Army, IAF and Navy, in turn, was inked with ACE Ltd and JCB India Ltd. "Such trucks will assist in various combat and logistics support tasks by avoiding manual handling of an enormous number of stores and thus enhancing the operational effectiveness of the forces," the official said.

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