On February 23, it was reported that the Indian government approved the purchase of 12 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar systems. These radar systems will be placed along the Pakistani and Chinese borders to increase the Indian Air Force’s ability to monitor the regions. The systems will also play a key role in India’s Ballistic Missile Defense system by enhancing the country’s tracking capabilities.
Indian manufacturers Larsen and Toubro will be producing them, alongside numerous medium and small manufacturing firms. Included in the deal was the procurement of numerous Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). These point defense systems are designed to deal with aircraft and drones at short ranges.
This comes as tensions between India and China are at all-time highs. This is due to increasing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean, as well as continued contestation of the region of Kashmir. Both nations have engaged in significant militarization programs in recent years.
