NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts worth around Rs 975 crore with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Private Limited for the procurement of TRAWL Assembly for T-72/T-90 tanks, it said on Tuesday.The contracts were signed in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.According to an MoD press release, “The TRAWL Assembly for T-72/T-90 tanks is critical equipment developed by DRDO which will enhance the minefield breaching capability of the Indian Army. It would generate additional capability of creating vehicle-safe lanes through minefields with anti-tank mines fitted with proximity magnetic fuses, thus enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army.” “Being a Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) case, the procurement marks a pivotal step towards modernising India’s defence infrastructure and empowering indigenous industries, which will be a proud flag-bearer of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” the statement added.In March, the MoD signed separate contracts for the Coast Guard and the Navy. The first, worth Rs 5,083 crore, is for six Advanced Light Helicopters ALH Mk-II for the Coast Guard, while the second, worth Rs 2,901 crore, is for Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch Shtil missiles for the Navy.In February, the ministry signed a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Transport Aircraft Division in Kanpur for the acquisition of eight Dornier 228 aircraft along with operational role equipment for the Coast Guard at a cost of Rs 2,312 crore under the Buy (Indian) category.(With ANI inputs)