The Indian MoD has awarded deals to local companies to supply rockets for the Pinaka MBRL. (DRDO)
India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded contracts to local companies to supply rockets for the Indian Army's Pinaka Multi‐Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL).
The MoD said on 6 February that it would procure the Pinaka Area Denial Munition (ADM) Type 1 and the Pinaka Pre-Fragmented High‐Explosive (PFHE) Mk-1 Enhanced rockets from Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) and Munitions India Limited (MIL) respectively.
The contract is valued at INR101.4 billion (USD1 billion). However, the MoD did not specify the number of rockets that will be procured.
According to the MoD, the procurements will enhance the Indian Army's firepower by “enabling precise and long-range strikes”.
The MoD added, “ADM Type-1 … has a specialised warhead to deliver a quantum of submunitions over a larger area targeting mechanised forces, vehicles, and personnel, thereby, denying specific areas to the enemy.
“[PFHE] Mk-1 rockets are [an] advanced version of in-service [PFHE] rockets, which have enhanced range to strike deep into enemy territory with precision and lethality.”
Janes reported in January 2024 that the Indian Army had approved the procurement of the ADM Type 1 rocket – also known as dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) – after it passed a series of user trials. Janes also reported that user trials of the Pinaka Mk-1 Enhanced rocket had also been completed.
According to Janes Weapons: Ammunition , the PFHE Pinaka Mk-1 Enhanced rocket weighs 277 kg. Its warhead weighs 100 kg and incorporates 20,500 units of 6 mm diameter tungsten balls that can create a lethal damage area of 12,000 m 2 . The Pinaka Mk-1 uses solid propellant and has a range of 42 km.
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