Solar exports first batch of guided Pinaka rockets to Armenia

Nagpur: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday flagged off the first batch of guided Pinaka rockets, manufactured by city-based Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), for export to Armenia. The guided version ensures an accurate hit and covers a range of over 70 km, said sources. The process of finalising tenders for supply of the same version of rockets to the Indian armed forces is under way. Sources said currently the army is buying other versions of Pinaka. Singh, who also inaugurated the company's facility to manufacture medium calibre ammunition, stressed on increasing defence exports. He also confirmed the drone-mounted loitering munition system, Nagastra, made by SDAL at Nagpur was used in Operation Sindoor. "The Nagastra made precise hits on the terror targets. I heard that newer versions of the weapons are being made. Who knows we may need to fire the Nagastra again. Our enemy has a rather unpredictable nature," he said. SDAL's chairman Satyanarayan Nuwal said the company designed and started production of Nagastra entirely on its own and offered it to the armed forces. "SDAL has also developed Bhargavastra, the anti-drone system, which can fire a salvo of 60 mini missiles and bring down a drone swarm. Other systems world over do not have the capacity to fire more than four at a time," he said.The company has also developed universal air bombs. "The air bombs generally available are compatible with either NATO-designed aircraft or those from Russia and eastern bloc. The universal bombs can be fired from either," he said. Nuwal said SDAL ended up spending over Rs2,180 crore in over a decade towards building the infrastructure for the defence business. "Last year, the company bagged defence orders worth Rs256 crore, and but its outgo towards salaries itself stood at Rs190 crore. However, profitability was not the goal for venturing into the sector," he said.