The Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS) on Thursday cleared two major projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore for 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets for the Indian Air Force and 100 K-9 Vajra Self-propelled howitzers for the Indian Army in a major success for Make in India program in defence sector.

According to news agency ANI, the two projects were cleared by the CCS and the contract for the Su-30-MKI jets has already been inked.

The Ministry of Defence said that a contract for the procurement of 12 Su-30MKI aircraft along with associated equipment has been signed between Ministry of Defence and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), at an approximate cost of Rs 13,500 crore inclusive of taxes and duties. The aircraft would have an indigenous content of 62.6%, enhanced due to indiginisation of many components to be manufactured by Indian defence industry.

"These aircraft would be manufactured at Nasik division of HAL." "The supply of these aircraft would enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force and strengthen the defence preparedness of the country," the statement from the Ministry of Defence added.

Meanwhile, according to news agency ANI, the order for 100 K-9 self-propelled howitzers to be made by Larsen and Toubro at Hazira in Gujarat would be a repeat order as the Indian Army had inducted these guns initially to meet its requirements in the plains and desert sector, but now it has been used successfully in the Ladakh sector by the force.

he gun weighs 50 tonnes and can fire 47kg bombs at 43-kilometre distant targets. It can also turn around at zero radius.

L&T had in 2017 won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Indian Army under the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative.

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