The Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 2,385.36 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the acquisition of Electronic Warfare (EW) Suites and aircraft modification kits, as well as their installation on Mi-17 V5 helicopters, along with associated equipment, for the Indian Air Force, according to an official statement issued on Monday.
This state-of-the-art EW Suite will significantly enhance the operational survivability of the helicopters in hostile environments. The majority of sub-assemblies and parts will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers. The project will boost and encourage the active participation of Indian electronics and associated industries, including MSMEs.
The contract, under the “Buy Indian – Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured” category, was signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 2,385.36 crore contract with , Bengaluru, for state-of-the-art (EW) Suites and aircraft modification kits for helicopters. Signed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, in New Delhi today, in the… — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD)
The suite for the Mi-17 V5 represents a significant leap forward in developing indigenous EW capabilities, making the country more Aatmanirbhar in line with the Make-in-India initiative, the statement said.
The contract comes close on the heels of BEL’s Rs 593.22 crore deal signed with the Indian Air Force last week for providing maintenance services for the Akash Missile System, marking the beginning of the new financial year 2025–26.
BEL had also supplied the Akash Missile System to the IAF, for which it has now secured the maintenance contract. Furthermore, the company has concluded negotiations with customers for the acquisition of orders worth ₹5,000 crore, BEL said in a statement.
The defence PSU achieved a turnover of around ₹23,000 crore during the financial year 2024–25, up from ₹19,820 crore in the previous year, registering a growth of 16 percent. This includes export sales of around $106 million during FY 2024–25, compared to $92.98 million in the previous year, registering a growth of 14 percent, according to the company.
In FY 2024–25, BEL secured orders worth ₹18,715 crore. Some of the major orders received during the year include the BMP II Upgrade, Ashwini Radar, Software Defined Radios, Data Link, Multi-Function Radars, EON 51, Seekers, Anti-Drone System, Airport Surveillance Radar, Sonar Upgradation, Flycatcher Spares, Radar Upgradation, Spares and Services, among others, including projects in the non-defence sector. With this, BEL’s total order book as of April 1, 2025, stands at around ₹71,650 crore, including an export order book of $359 million.
BEL has reported a 47.3 percent growth in its net profit for the third quarter ended December 2024, at Rs 1,316.06 crore compared to Rs 893.30 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.
Stay informed on all the , real-time updates, and follow all the important headlines in and on Zee News.
