Govt clears Rs 22,000 crore for Su-30 fighter jets, 100 K-9 howitzers

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In a major success for Make in India in defence sector, the Cabinet Committee on Security today cleared two major projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore for 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets for the Indian Air Force and 100 K-9 Vajra Self-propelled howitzers for the Indian Army.

The two projects were cleared on Thursday by the CCS and the contract for the Su-30-MKI jets has already been inked, defence sources informed ANI.

The 12 SU-30MKI jets for the Indian Air Force would be licensed manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Nashik facility and cost around Rs 13,000 crore.

These will replace aircraft that have been lost over the last many years.

The order for 100 K-9 self-propelled howitzers to be made by Larsen and Toubro at Hazira in Gujarat would be a repeat order as already 100 of them have been inducted into the Army.

L & T has increased the indigenous content in the howitzers.

The two projects for the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limiter and the L & T are expected to strengthen the small and medium enterprises firms in their supply chains.

The howitzers have been inducted in the desert sector as well as against the Chinese front in the Ladakh sector.