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NEW DELHI — The Indian Defence Ministry has sent a global request for information for short-range, surface-to-air missiles (SRSAMs), throwing into question an existing deal with the French for the same weapon for the Indian Navy.
The $5 billion Maitri missile deal was conceived eight years ago and is a joint project between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and France’s MBDA. The missiles are to have a 25-kilometer range and were supposed to be used by Indian defense forces.
Originally, the Army, Air Force and Navy had a requirement for the missile, but the first two services have since found other solutions, leaving the Navy without a SRSAM unless the Maitri or another solution appears.
“Maitri seems to be heading for a dead end,” a senior Indian Navy official said.
A Defence Ministry source said six years of protracted negotiations between DRDO and MBDA have yielded a finalized work-share agreement, adding that the deal awaits only final clearance by New Delhi.
“The government of the day will have to decide whether to go ahead with the project or not,” the source added.
The French have been waiting for the clearance of the Maitri project, which has ascended to the highest diplomatic levels between India and France, a diplomat at the French Embassy said.
No official from MBDA was available for comment.
The Indian Navy was to use the Maitri to arm its three Project 16A Brahmaputra-class frigates and anti-submarine warfare corvettes, the MoD source said.
The Army requirement was for truck-mounted SRSAMs to replace the existing Russian-made Strella surface-to-air missiles. The Indian Air Force was to use the truck-mounted SRSAMs to replace Russian-made OSA-AKM surface-to-air missiles.
Rather than waiting for the Maitri, the Army and Air Force have since inducted the Akash, developed by DRDO. DRDO scientists claim the Akash is roughly equivalent to the US Patriot system, with a range of 25 kilometers. However, DRDO was unable to develop a naval version.
The Air Force further supplemented its inventory in 2008 by agreeing to purchase 18 Spyder low-level quick-reaction missile (LLQRM) systems made by Rafael of Israel, which was competing against MBDA.
Due to the uncertainty over the Maitri, the Navy opted to float the global request for information, another Navy official said.
India and France agreed to build the Maitri after India’s indigenous Trishul LLQRM was abandoned in 2003 following technical problems in the guidance systems.
Request a Non-starter
The Navy’s global request for information does not specify whether the purchase would be in the “Buy and Make Global” category or “Buy and Make India” category, so the response from overseas defense companies is likely to be very poor, said defense analyst Nitin Mehta.
The request for information was sent to domestic and global defense companies.
The request was sent to Tata Power SED, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge, Punj Lloyd, Ashok Leyland and state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited and Ordnance Factory Board.
The foreign companies include MBDA, Nexter and Thales of France, Saab of Sweden, KBP Tula of Russia and Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries of Israel, and Doosan Group and Samsung of South Korea.
While the request did not specify the number of SRSAM systems it will purchase, Navy sources said there is a requirement of around 30 systems worth more than $2 billion.
The indecision on Maitri could kill the program, affecting Indo-French defense ties, Mehta said. ■
Indian Navy May Walk Away From French Missile Deal | Defense News | defensenews.com
The $5 billion Maitri missile deal was conceived eight years ago and is a joint project between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and France’s MBDA. The missiles are to have a 25-kilometer range and were supposed to be used by Indian defense forces.
Originally, the Army, Air Force and Navy had a requirement for the missile, but the first two services have since found other solutions, leaving the Navy without a SRSAM unless the Maitri or another solution appears.
“Maitri seems to be heading for a dead end,” a senior Indian Navy official said.
A Defence Ministry source said six years of protracted negotiations between DRDO and MBDA have yielded a finalized work-share agreement, adding that the deal awaits only final clearance by New Delhi.
“The government of the day will have to decide whether to go ahead with the project or not,” the source added.
The French have been waiting for the clearance of the Maitri project, which has ascended to the highest diplomatic levels between India and France, a diplomat at the French Embassy said.
No official from MBDA was available for comment.
The Indian Navy was to use the Maitri to arm its three Project 16A Brahmaputra-class frigates and anti-submarine warfare corvettes, the MoD source said.
The Army requirement was for truck-mounted SRSAMs to replace the existing Russian-made Strella surface-to-air missiles. The Indian Air Force was to use the truck-mounted SRSAMs to replace Russian-made OSA-AKM surface-to-air missiles.
Rather than waiting for the Maitri, the Army and Air Force have since inducted the Akash, developed by DRDO. DRDO scientists claim the Akash is roughly equivalent to the US Patriot system, with a range of 25 kilometers. However, DRDO was unable to develop a naval version.
The Air Force further supplemented its inventory in 2008 by agreeing to purchase 18 Spyder low-level quick-reaction missile (LLQRM) systems made by Rafael of Israel, which was competing against MBDA.
Due to the uncertainty over the Maitri, the Navy opted to float the global request for information, another Navy official said.
India and France agreed to build the Maitri after India’s indigenous Trishul LLQRM was abandoned in 2003 following technical problems in the guidance systems.
Request a Non-starter
The Navy’s global request for information does not specify whether the purchase would be in the “Buy and Make Global” category or “Buy and Make India” category, so the response from overseas defense companies is likely to be very poor, said defense analyst Nitin Mehta.
The request for information was sent to domestic and global defense companies.
The request was sent to Tata Power SED, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge, Punj Lloyd, Ashok Leyland and state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited and Ordnance Factory Board.
The foreign companies include MBDA, Nexter and Thales of France, Saab of Sweden, KBP Tula of Russia and Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries of Israel, and Doosan Group and Samsung of South Korea.
While the request did not specify the number of SRSAM systems it will purchase, Navy sources said there is a requirement of around 30 systems worth more than $2 billion.
The indecision on Maitri could kill the program, affecting Indo-French defense ties, Mehta said. ■
Indian Navy May Walk Away From French Missile Deal | Defense News | defensenews.com
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