After three failed attempts to procure MANPADS missiles for the Indian army, India is once again taking the route of emergency procurement. The “Emergency Procurement” system enables the Indian armed forces to urgently acquire weapons systems worth up to 33.3 million euros without further approvals.
VSHORAD is described as “the soldier’s last line of defense against enemy fighter planes and helicopters”. Its critical importance has increased due to the ongoing war in Ukraine (-> latest news from the Ukraine war), according to the Indian government. India derives its urgent requirement from the situation in the conflict zones along the borders with China and Pakistan.
Back in 2010, the Indian Army invited tenders for the procurement of over 5,000 VSHORAD missiles and more than 500 single and multiple launchers. However, several revisions to the tender, dramatic twists and turns, lawsuits and legal changes – including the freezing of all direct imports as part of the “Make in India” initiative – ultimately led to the failure of the project. Since 2020, there have been three more unsuccessful attempts to conclude contracts for various missile systems. This is now the fifth emergency procurement since 2016.
The contract covers the delivery of 48 launchers, 100 missiles, night vision devices and a test station for a total of 28.9 million euros. The Indian army receives the Russian man-portable air defense system (MANPADS, -> small missiles with great effect) type 9K338 Igla-S (“Needle”), which is being assembled in India by Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL) as part of a technology transfer agreement with the Russian company Rosoboronexport.
The Igla-S is designed to combat low-flying unmanned and manned aircraft. It is controlled via a dual-band infrared homing head. The missile reaches a speed of around 600 meters per second, has a range of up to 6 kilometers, a maximum intercept altitude of 3.5 kilometers and weighs 10.8 kilograms. The warhead weighs 2.5 kilograms and is equipped with an impact and proximity fuse.
