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In a significant step towards modernizing India's artillery capabilities, the Union Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ?10,147 crore on February 6, 2025, for the procurement of advanced ammunition for the Pinaka Multiple Rocket Launch System (MRLS).

These agreements were concluded with Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) and Munitions India Limited (MIL) for the acquisition of Area Denial Munition (ADM) Type-1 and High Explosive Pre-Fragmented (HEPF)-Mk-1 (enhanced) rockets, respectively.

Pinaka MRLS: An Overview

• Type: All-weather, battle-proven, indirect fire Artillery Weapon System.
• Developer: Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) of DRDO.
• Combat History: First used effectively during the Kargil War, neutralising enemy positions on mountain tops.
• Mobility: Mounted on Tatra trucks, providing high mobility and quick deployment.
• Payload & Firing Capacity:
  • Each launcher: 12 rockets.
  • Each battery: 6 launchers = 72 rockets.
  • Capable of delivering a full salvo in 44 seconds.
• Range:
  • Initial range: 60–75 km.
  • Guided Pinaka (Pinaka-G) extends range to 75 km, with future plans to extend up to 120 km and eventually 300 km.
• Precision: The guided version uses INS/GPS navigation, allowing high accuracy against critical and time-sensitive targets.
• Warhead Types: High-explosive and submunitions, suitable for a wide variety of targets.

New Ammunition Contracts: Enhancing Lethality

The contracts include the procurement of:

• ADM Type-1: Equipped with specialised warheads designed to disperse sub-munitions over wide areas. These are effective in targeting mechanised formations, vehicles, and personnel, thereby denying area access to the enemy. These are similar to Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM).
• HEPF-Mk-1 (Enhanced): An advanced variant of the currently used HEPF rockets with extended range and improved lethality, capable of deep precision strikes in enemy territory.

In addition, a contract was signed with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for upgrades to the Shakti software, which supports artillery operations.

Operational & Strategic Significance

• The upgraded Pinaka system will be the mainstay of long-range rocket artillery in the Indian Army.
• Four Pinaka regiments are already operational, with six more on order.
• The system’s development and expansion are a testament to India’s defenceindigenisation drive.
• The DRDO successfully completed flight tests of the guided Pinaka rocket with a range of 75 km, doubling its earlier reach. Future versions aim for up to 120 km and 300 km range.

Employment and MSME Impact

Besides enhancing strategic deterrence, the ?10,147 crore investment is expected to:

• Generate direct and indirect employment, particularly in the defence manufacturing ecosystem.
• Promote the Indian MSME sector, which contributes components and subsystems for the rockets and launchers.
• Support the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by reducing dependency on imported artillery systems.