Emergency Defence Procurement Is Accelerating Indigenous Capability
India’s defence procurement strategy is increasingly prioritising speed and indigenisation. With evolving border and maritime security challenges, the armed forces are relying more on emergency procurement frameworks to induct mission-critical systems quickly. This has created a fast-track opportunity for domestic defence manufacturers with ready, deployable platforms.
Contract Snapshot and Framework Context
Pune-based Bharat Forge Limited has secured defence contracts worth ₹300 crore under the Emergency Procurement–VI (EP-VI) framework to supply indigenous unmanned systems to India’s security forces.
The platforms are primarily intended for the Indian Army, with select systems also being inducted by the Indian Navy. Under EP-VI norms, each contract is capped at ₹300 crore, with deliveries mandated within one year, allowing vice chiefs of the armed forces to approve urgent acquisitions.
What Bharat Forge Is Supplying
Developed by Bharat Forge’s aerospace division, the order covers a mix of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones and loitering munitions. This includes Omega One and Omega Nine ISR platforms, along with loitering munitions Bayonet and Cleaver.
Omega One, recently showcased at the Army Day parade in Jaipur, is designed for short- to medium-range battlefield surveillance and can be mounted on upgraded BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles. Omega Nine is a higher-endurance variant built for extended missions, target identification, and enhanced situational awareness. Bayonet and Cleaver fall under precision loitering munitions capable of hovering and striking identified targets.
Why This Matters for India’s Defence Ecosystem
This order marks Bharat Forge’s second major defence win after its ₹1,661.9 crore contract for supplying close-quarter battle carbines to the Indian Army. More broadly, it signals how India’s defence industrial base is diversifying beyond traditional platforms into unmanned and electronic-warfare-resistant systems. For Indian defence and deep-tech founders, the deal reinforces that readiness, indigenous IP, and rapid deployment capability are becoming decisive advantages in winning government defence contracts.
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