DRDO Interceptor Missile with 5,000 Km range to be ready by 2016; Biggest Indo-US Defence Deal in the offing
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    • India has started working on a network of air-defence systems which would be able to shoot down any enemy missile even at a distance of 5,000 kms, before it can enter the Indian air space. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has already developed a missile that can intercept an incoming aerial threat 2,000 kms away under the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System and is now working on the second phase. The 5,000 kms interceptor missile is targeted to be ready by 2016. "It is well on schedule and we are already on initial design and testing stage," DRDO chief V K Saraswat said. "Presently, our missiles are designed to engage targets within 2,000 km range. Later on, we will be making 5,000 km range class of interceptor missiles. That will be Phase-II of the BMD system," he added. Phase-II will have 80 per cent indigenous component.Mr. Saraswat also stressed the indigenous factor and said that “international collaboration is only to accelerate our own development process.”1

    Meanwhile, after rejecting the American fighters out of the $11 billion MMRCA contract to supply 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, India seems to be ready for the biggest ever Indo-US defence deal: the $4.1 billion contract for 10 C-17 Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft. The Globemaster deal will be a direct government-to-government contract under the American FMS (Foreign Military Sales) programme and will get the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security (India) within this month. All outstanding issues connected to costing and offsets under which Boeing will invest 30% of the contract value which is around $1.23 billion back in India have been resolved. The deal will bolster the Indian Air Force which urgently needs to augment its strategic airlift capability to swiftly move combat systems and troops over large national and international distances to counter growing Chinese threats.2

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