Pragati Tactical Missile has range between 60-170 km (photo : idrw)
DRDO Pitch for Prahaar/Pragati sale in ADEX South Korea
In a major change of policy the Indian DRDO is now attempting to explore markets abroad and has in fact come up with a proposal for sale of Pragati, a missile that is only recently tested in the country indigenously named as Prahaar. The DRDO claims that Pragati tactical missile system is a highly potent, accurate short range, battle field tactical missile system capable of neutralizing identified targets and providing an effective counter force weapon system. It has all weather Day and Night operational launch capability. The missile has quick reaction from command to launch in ripple firing mode of less than 5 sec from same launcher. The missile is capable of carrying various types of conventional warhead of approx. 200 Kgs. The missile system has capability of deployment in stand-alone mode or centralised mode.
The display of this missile in ADEX in South Korea implies that it is being marketed mainly in South East Asia where possibly there are some customers identified such as Vietnam. India and Vietnam have close defence and security cooperation which has been ongoing for some time. Vietnam had been seeking the BrahMos cruise missile but this is a joint project so India was finding it difficult to obtain Russian approval for the sale but no such problem could be seen for the sale of Pragati which is also within the MTCR regulations of range being much below 300 kms and is a ballistic missile which may find more takers.
The DRDO export pitch in South Korea ADEX, is led by the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister Mr Avinash Chander who is also a leading missile scientist.“Our presence at Seoul is an opportunity for building technology partnerships for R&D and manufacture, and for creating export potential. Indian systems and defence manufacturing capability have matured. We want to project not just the DRDO, but all of India’s emerging defence capabilities. US $ 26 billion worth equipment based on DRDO’s technologies are being produced,” said Mr Avinash Chander, Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister& Secretary, Dept of Def R&D, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
He was speaking at the Indo-Korean Defence Summit organized as part of the International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition ADEX-2013, at KINTEX, Seoul, from 29 Oct to 03 Nov 2013.“Indian and Korean capabilities can be complemented to produce advanced cutting edge defence systems. DRDO plans to present its strengths at the Summit as well as at the DRDO Korean Defence Industry meet slated for 31 Oct 2013 and explore the prospects of industrial cooperation between the two countries in defence. Such cooperation has grown significantly in automobile, electronic manufacturing and other engineering systems”, he added.“We should harness the full potential of our two conomies to impart even greater depth and dynamism to it. India is witnessing a boom of entrepreneurship and innovation, economic liberalization and availability of scientific and technical talent. The opportunities are plenty for expanding the defence partnership as India seeks to build its defence production capabilities with a greater role for the private sector.
DRDO has a very pragmatic view and supportive of co-development and co-production with friendly foreign countries by sharing of cost, expertise and technologies”,said Mr Chander. ADEX 2013 is a major international exhibition of Aerospace and Defence systems. More than 330 exhibitors from 33 countries are participating in the event. India is displaying state-of-the-art DRDO systems at an international event for the very first time. Some of the major products /systems on display are Akash-Air Defence System, Tejas-Light Combat Aircraft and its variants, expandable high speed aerial target-Abhyas, Airborne Early Warning and Control system-AEW&C, advanced radars, sonar and communication system. Also on display is the Explosive Detection Kit (EDK) developed by DRDO and already being produced in India that was recently launched in USA after the technology for its manufacture was transferred to an American firm. A large number of products developed by DRDO and produced by Indian Industry including those being displayed at ADEX-2013, have immense export potential.
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