For use by India’s Navy
At a ceremony held on 27 August in Hyderabad, India, the firstLong-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) manufactured in India was delivered to India’s Minister of Defense Arun Jaitley, who awarded it to the Indian Navy. The missile is part of the LRSAM air & missile defence system of India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to be installed in India’s operational missile ships whose construction has been completed recently.
Jaitley praised the collaborative effort of developing this advanced technology. He pointed out at the ceremony: “This is an historical day for India, in which our navy becomes the proud owners of one of the most sophisticated systems in the world. This system will help the Indian Navy protect our country. India needs to be prepared for any scenario therefor we should equip our operational forces with the best of advanced technology. The delivery of the first missile coming out from indigenous production line is an example of the Indian economy and industry capabilities. We must continue developing the local infrastructure and manufacturing as part of our defence capabilities.”
“The delivery of the first missile manufactured in India to India’s defence arms is a technological dream come true,” Boaz Levi, IAI’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of Systems, Missiles & Space Group, continued. “It is another exciting step in the many-years collaboration between IAI, India’s government, India’s DRDO and other partners and one that reflects a technological and engineering effort of the highest level.”
The local manufacturing in the LRSAM Project is part of India’s “Make in India” Policy. IAI and Rafael from Israel together with Baharat Dynamic Ltd. (BDL) from India have established production lines, in India, for the LRSAM programme. The local production line is provided with Israeli-made assembles which are integrated with Indian-made assemblies into an operational missile.