Defence / Govt Inks Rs770 Crore Deal with BEL for New-Generation Army Radars

New Delhi, Oct 21: In a significant move to strengthen India's air defence network against emerging aerial threats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract worth approximately Rs770 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of Improved Low-Level Lightweight Radar (LLLR-I) systems for the Indian Army.

The LLLR(I) system has the capability of detecting and tracking fighter jet-sized targets as well as mini and micro drones. It also has the additional capability of prioritising aerial targets, enabling the Army to effectively counter threats posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), according to an official statement.

The contract with the defence PSU was signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

Aligning with the government's vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, the procurement marks a major step towards the indigenisation of air defence platforms and is expected to strengthen India's defence manufacturing ecosystem, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), while supporting the creation of a resilient, self-reliant and globally competitive defence industry.

India's defence sector has witnessed a significant transformation over the past decade, with military hardware production increasing more than fourfold to Rs1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26 from Rs40,746 crore in 2013-14, according to official data.

Public-sector entities accounted for 76 per cent of the total production output, while the private sector contributed the remaining 24 per cent.

Defence exports also registered substantial growth, rising from Rs686 crore in 2013-14 to Rs38,424 crore in 2025-26. Indian defence products are now being exported to more than 80 countries.

Of the total defence exports in 2025-26, the private sector contributed Rs17,353 crore, accounting for 45.16 per cent, while Defence Public Sector Undertakings contributed Rs21,071 crore, or 54.84 per cent.
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The government has set ambitious targets of achieving Rs3 lakh crore in annual defence production and Rs50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.

Meanwhile, research and development spending in the defence sector has increased from Rs13,716.14 crore in 2014-15 to Rs29,100.25 crore in 2026-27, reflecting an increase of more than 112 per cent.

Since 2022-23, 25 per cent of the defence R&D budget has been earmarked for industry, start-ups and academic institutions to accelerate innovation and modernise defence production in the country.
(With inputs from IANS)