By N. C. Bipindra

New Delhi: India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) on March 3, 2026, signed contracts worth INR 5,083 crore to boost the airlift capability of its coast guard and air defence of the navy in two key acquisition programmes.

The contracts for six Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv Mk-III for maritime missions for the Indian Coast Guard and surface-to-air vertical launch Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi.

The MoD said in a statement that the contract for ALH Mk-III (MR), along with operational role equipment, an engineering support package, and performance-based logistics support, valued at INR 2,901 crore, was signed with the state-run aircraft maker  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The contract with the Bengaluru-based Defence Public Sector Undertaking was signed under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured) category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, the statement said.

The Dhruv Mk-III twin-engine helicopters incorporate state-of-the-art features superior to the currently operated airborne platforms and are capable of undertaking a wide spectrum of maritime security missions from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea.

The induction will significantly enhance the Indian Coast Guard’s capability in fulfilling safety and protection duties for artificial islands, offshore installations, and the protection of fishermen and the marine environment, the MoD said.

The project envisages the supply of equipment from more than 200 MSMEs and is expected to generate approximately 65 lakh man-hours of employment.

The contract reinforces the Government’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India)and the ‘Make in India’initiative, while further strengthening the nation’s maritime security architecture.

The contract for the procurement of Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch – Shtil missiles and associated missile holding frames, valued at INR 2,182 crore, has been signed with JSC Rosoboronexport of the Russian Federation.

“The acquisition is intended to substantially enhance the air defence capabilities of frontline warships against a wide spectrum of aerial threats,” the MoD statement said.

“The system will reinforce the layered air defence architecture onboard the platforms of the Indian Navy by providing rapid-reaction, all-weather engagement capability and improved survivability in contested maritime environments,” it said.

The contract further underscores the longstanding and time-tested defence partnership between India and Russia, founded on mutual trust and strategic alignment, it added.

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