New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The Ministry of Defence on Friday signed contracts, worth a total of Rs 858 crore, for the procurement of the cutting-edge Russian Tunguska Air Defence Missile System and a maintenance contract with Boeing for the depot-level inspection of P8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft of the Indian Navy.

The agreements were inked at Kartavya Bhawan-2 here in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and senior officials.

The contract for the procurement of Tunguska Air Defence Missile Systems, valued at Rs 445 crore, for the Indian Army, was signed with Russia’s JSC Rosoboronexport. These state-of-the-art missiles will enhance India’s multi-layered air defence capabilities against aerial threats, including aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles. The agreement will further strengthen the Indo-Russian strategic defence partnership, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence.

The contract for the Inspection (Depot Level) of P8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft for the Indian Navy under “Buy Indian” category with 100 per cent indigenous content, valued at Rs 413 crore, was signed with Boeing India Defense Private Ltd, a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of Boeing, in the presence of senior officials of the Ministry of Defence. This contract will ensure depot-level maintenance of the P8I fleet at the in-country MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility, which is in line with the government’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India, the statement said.

The Boeing P-8I Poseidon is the Indian Navy’s advanced, long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. Known as the "guardian of the Indian Ocean," it operates 12 units for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and anti-ship missions, with plans to acquire six more to bolster maritime domain awareness and counter regional threats.

The P-8I is a variant of the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon, with India being the first international customer, making it a critical asset in the Indo-Pacific region

--IANS

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