India To Buy Air Defense Missiles, Dornier Aircraft

India is set to issue a global tender to buy air defense missiles for its army, with the contract expected to be worth 100 billion rupees ($1.8 billion).

“A decision to procure Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missiles (QRSAMs) will be taken soon by the government to replace the age-old Russian Kvadrat systems,” a defense ministry official says.

The proposed deal could also contain partnership and knowledge transfer clauses that would enable an Indian company to make certain major equipment for the missile, he says.

The Indian army issued a request for information for the systems early this year.

The government also is planning to discuss a proposal to buy UAVs and additional Dornier transport aircraft for the Indian air force (IAF). A proposal to augment the current fleet of 41 Dornier aircraft is on the table, and state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) could win the bid to supply 14 aircraft to the IAF, the official says.

HAL, in collaboration with German aerospace manufacturer Dornier Flugzeugwerke, manufactures the Dornier aircraft in India.

According to the official, India’s Defense Acquisition Council is expected to meet on June 22 and finalize the deals.