THE AEROSPACE division of Pune-based Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) has bagged contracts worth around Rs 300 crore under the government’s ongoing Emergency Procurement – VI framework. These contracts, which are for the Indian Army and also for end use in the Indian Navy, cover a range of indigenous unmanned systems, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms and loitering munitions, the company said.
“The contracted platforms, namely Omega One, Omega Nine, Bayonet and Cleaver, are being developed for India to meet urgent operational requirements in various terrains and mission profiles,” reads a BFL press release.
During the Army Day Parade held in Jaipur on January 15, the Omega One was displayed aboard an upgraded BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle. “These inductions underline Bharat Forge Limited’s relentless focus on delivering indigenous solutions aligned with the national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The programs leverage an increase in domestic manufacturing capacity to ensure fast delivery timelines while maintaining quality, reliability and scalability,” the press release said.
“BFL’s unmanned vehicle portfolio is rapidly evolving, with advanced autonomy, artificial intelligence and data-driven decision making progressively integrated across all platforms. These enhancements increase mission endurance, precision, survivability and adaptability in dynamic and contested operating environments,” the statement added.
The statement quoted Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, as saying, “This double achievement of securing EP-VI contracts and displaying Omega One on Army Day reaffirms BFL’s commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat. We are proud to equip our Armed Forces with indigenous, EW-resistant and India-specific unmanned systems.”
Last month, the Ministry of Defense awarded BFL a Rs 1,661 crore contract for the supply of over 2.55 lakh units of Close Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines to the Indian Army.