New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Navy has concluded a contract with domestic defense firm — Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division (SED) for the manufacture of 78 portable diver detection sonar (PDDS) systems. Tata Power SED bagged the contract after defeating rivals Elcome Integrated Systems and Larsen & Toubro by quoting the lowest price. This is the first time that an Indian defense firm is building PDDS systems for the country's Navy.
"In consonance with the government of India's Make in India policy, Indian Navy concludes a contract with Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division (TSED) for the supply of Portable Diver Detection Sonar (PDDS) under ‘Buy & Make (Indian)' Category. (It) shall boost the Government of India's Defense indigenization effort," an Indian Navy official said in a statement.
The Indian company has teamed up with DSTI Israel to manufacture the PDDS. Nevertheless, the Indian government has asked the company to make sure that it should have more than 50 percent indigenous components. The PDDS systems will be capable of operating in shallow or littoral waters and can detect divers, underwater saboteurs and commando mini-submarines or midget subs.
"The introduction of portable diver detection sonar would further enhance the Indian Navy's underwater surveillance capability in the field of low-intensity maritime operations. Procurement of these sonars for utilization onboard ships is being undertaken by the Indian Navy to augment countermeasures against asymmetric threats," an Indian Navy official told Sputnik.
Earlier in February of this year, the Indian Navy signed a contract with Nova Integrated Systems (NISL), a subsidiary of Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) to build 31 surface surveillance radars (SSR). Nova will install and commission the radar systems on Indian Navy vessels.
The Project was the first procurement by India under the ‘Buy and Make (Indian)' category of the new defense procurement procedure (DPP). The company will indigenously manufacture the radars in collaboration with Danish defense equipment manufacturer company Terma which has agreed to transfer technology to Nova.
