In a major boost to the surveillance capabilities of the Indian Navy and defense forces, the Cabinet Committee on Security has approved major deals to indigenously build two nuclear submarines and buy 31 Predator drones from the US.
Top sources told ANI that as per the plan, the Indian Navy will get two nuclear-powered attack submarines that will help enhance its capabilities manifold in the Indian Ocean region.
He said the deal to build two submarines at the Ship Building Center in Visakhapatnam will be worth about Rs 45,000 crore and will have major participation from private sector companies like Larsen & Toubro.
The deal was long pending and the Indian Navy was pushing for it as it was a critical requirement to bridge the gap in underwater capability.
India plans to have six such boats in the long term as part of its submarine induction plan.
These boats, which are being built under the ambitious project Advanced Technology Vessel Project, are different from the five nuclear submarines being built under the Arihant class at one place.
The second major deal approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security today is for the acquisition of 31 Predator drones from US General Atomics under a Foreign Military Sales contract between the two governments.
This deal had to be approved before October 31 because the American proposal was valid till that time and now it is going to be signed in the next few days.
He said that as per the contract, the defense forces will start receiving the drones four years after signing the deal.
The Indian Navy will get 15 of the 31 drones while the Army and Indian Air Force will get eight each and they will be deployed simultaneously at two bases in Uttar Pradesh.
Indian equipment made by DRDO and private sector firm Solar Industries can be used as Make in India element on 31 drones, which are expected to be a game changer in peacetime surveillance.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
