Indian Navy and Coast Guard to receive advanced remote control guns

Ministry of Defence has inked a contract with Advanced Weapon Equipment India Ltd for the production and supply of 463 indigenously manufactured 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote Control Guns (SRCG)

The Ministry of Defence has inked a contract with Advanced Weapon Equipment India Ltd (AWEIL), Kanpur, for the production and supply of 463 indigenously manufactured 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote Control Guns (SRCG) for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday. This deal is valued at Rs 1,752.13 crore with Indigenous Content (IC) of more than 85 per cent.

These state-of-the-art SRCGs will significantly bolster the capabilities of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, allowing them to engage small targets that pose threats to ships precisely, irrespective of lighting conditions, according to the official release by the Ministry of Defence.

This acquisition also aligns with the vision of "Aatmanirbharta in Defence" and is poised to stimulate the growth of defence manufacturing, benefiting over 125 Indian vendors and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) over a span of five years.

The revised estimates for the Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24) revealed that the Navy received Rs.51,052.2 crore. This was a significant portion of the defence budget, which was Rs 5.85 trillion revised estimates. This highlights the investment efforts in enhancing operational capabilities across the armed forces.

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This news also comes at a time when the Indian Navy has been actively engaged in missions in the Red Sea, countering a surge in pirate activities. Demonstrating heightened responsiveness, the Navy has executed a series of successful operations to thwart pirate attacks and rescue stranded vessels.

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Notable instances include the rescue of a Liberia-flagged vessel by INS Chennai's Marine Commandos (MARCOS) and the timely assistance provided to a UK-linked tanker struck by a Houthi missile. Further illustrating its rapid response capabilities, INS Sumitra successfully rescued hijacked vessels off the coast of Somalia, exemplifying the Indian Navy's unwavering commitment to maritime security and operational excellence.