Defence Ministry Signs Contract With BEL To Purchase Electronic Fuses

The Defence Ministry has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited, Pune for the procurement of electronic fuses for the Indian Army.

• The total cost of this contract is Rs 5,336.25 crore.
• This contract has been made for a period of ten years. 

Objective of the project: 

• The project aims to decrease reliance on imports, become self-sufficient in making weapons, gain important technology, and ensure the availability of supplies that could be disrupted.

Electronic fuse:

• Electronic fuses are a crucial part of medium to heavy artillery guns. They provide continuous artillery firepower for military operations.
• We will obtain the fuses to use in artillery guns. These guns can deliver deadly strikes in different terrains, including high-altitude areas along the northern borders. 

Fuses will be ready in Pune and Nagpur:

• Bharat Electronics Limited will manufacture electronic fuses at its Pune and upcoming Nagpur plant.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL):

• Established- 1954
• Headquarters – Bangalore
• The BEL is an Indian government-owned aerospace and defence company. It is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence.
• It manufactures advanced electronic products primarily for the Indian Armed Forces.
• It has achieved the status of Navratna company.
• BEL also develops Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs).
• Overall, BEL has set up 9 units in India with a wide network of offices and service centres across the country.
• It has received many awards since its inception. Best Global Presence Award, SODET Gold Award for Technology Innovation, Eco-Friendly Award, Digital India PSE of the Year Award, Best R&D Innovation Award, SAP Award for Customer Excellence etc. are some of his awards.

About Navratna Companies in India:

• Navratna status was first given to a group of 9 public sector enterprises (PSEs) in 1997.
• There are 14 enterprises listed under Navratna companies in India.
• Recently, the Shipping Corporation of India Limited has been listed as the 14th Navratna company.

Other useful information -

• Defence Minister – Rajnath Singh
• Army Chief – General Manoj Pande
• Indian Army Day - 15 January
• Chief of Air Staff – Air Marshal VR Choudhary
• Air Force Day – 8 October
• Navy Chief – Admiral R Hari Kumar
• Navy Day - 4th December
• Chief of Defence Staff – General Anil Chauhan