Defence Ministry signs procurement deals; Bharat Forge, AEL shares in focus

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday awarded contracts worth Rs 4,666 crore for the procurement of Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbines and Heavy Weight Torpedoes, giving a fresh push to India's military modernisation and indigenous defence manufacturing.

A contract worth Rs 2,770 crore has been signed for over 4.25 lakh CQB Carbines, along with accessories, for the Indian Army and Navy. The deal has been awarded to Bharat Forge Ltd and PLR Systems Pvt Ltd. Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) is also linked to the project, as its subsidiary, Adani Land Defence Systems and Technologies, owns a 51 per cent stake in PLR Systems. The announcement is likely to keep Bharat Forge and AEL shares in focus in the upcoming session.

The ministry said the CQB Carbine will replace older weapon systems and enhance lethality in short-range combat due to its compact design and high rate of fire. It added that the government-industry collaboration strengthens the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' objective, improves domestic manufacturing capability and opens opportunities for MSMEs through component and raw material supply.

In another major induction, a Rs 1,896 crore contract was signed with WASS Submarine Systems SRL, Italy, for 48 Heavy Weight Torpedoes and associated equipment for the Kalvari-class (P-75) submarines. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in April 2028 and conclude by early 2030. The acquisition is expected to enhance combat preparedness of the six submarines by equipping them with technologically advanced underwater weapons.

With these deals, capital contracts worth Rs 1,82,492 crore have been signed by the MoD so far in the financial year 2025-26 (FY26) as part of the ongoing modernisation drive of the Armed Forces.