NEW DELHI (Agencies): India is set to enhance its air defense capabilities with the imminent arrival of the latest batch of the Igla-S short-range man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).
These systems, now assembled locally, are scheduled for delivery by the end of May 2024 to early June 2024. The contract for the supply and licensed manufacturing of Igla-S MANPADS was signed between Moscow and New Delhi in December 2020.
The first delivery, which included 24 launchers, 216 missiles, and testing equipment, took place in April 2024. The final batch will increase the total number of Igla-S systems to 48 launchers, 100 missiles, 48 night-vision devices, and a missile test station.
The Igla-S system, with an interception range of up to 6 kilometers, is a significant upgrade over the previously used Igla-1M systems. It includes a 9M342 missile that can be mounted on various platforms, effectively increasing its range and capability against smaller targets like cruise missiles.
India’s choice of the Igla-S system followed a lengthy selection process that began in 2010. The recent order is part of a broader planned initiative executed under India’s Very Short Range Air Defense System (VSHORAD) procurement program. While India updates its inventory through imports from various sources, including Russia, the US, and Israel, it is also advancing its indigenous VSHORADS missile programs developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).