India clears military projects worth billions
The Indian defence ministry has cleared projects worth $12.4 billion (Rs 82,117 crore) to buy fighter aircraft, tanks, rocket systems, helicopters and UAVs, as the military struggles to plug critical gaps in its capabilities.
The government’s approval comes amid rising border tensions with Pakistan, although the platforms will be inducted in phases over the next decade.
‘The ongoing tension along the India-Pakistan border following the September 29 surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a reminder that we have to keep our powder dry. Modernisation cannot happen overnight and each step in that direction is significant,’ one military expert said.
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