Indian Navy buys 10 indigenous 30mm Naval Guns from GRSE

The Indian Navy has placed an order for 10 30-mm Naval Surface Guns from Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering Limited (GRSE) at a cost of ₹248.51 crore. The indigenous system, developed under the Make 1 category, will include the Electro Optical Fire Control System (EO-FCS). GRSE tweeted, "Warships to Weapons – Heading the AtmaNirbhar Efforts."

Commander Vivek Dahiya, Commander (Staff Requirements) from the Indian Navy, signed the deal with Retired Commander Shantanu Bose, worth Rs 248.5 crore, for the supply of the new naval guns. In March 2022, the Ministry of Defence designated GRSE as the nodal agency for indigenisation of the close-in weapons system.

The surface gun plays a pivotal role in naval warfare. These 30 mm guns are intended to be installed on auxiliary vessels and smaller warships, such as corvettes, upcoming shallow water crafts, and offshore patrol vessels of the Indian Navy.

The Ministry of Defence also signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Bangalore last month for the purchase of 13 Lynx-U2 Fire Control Systems for the Indian Navy at Rs 1,700 crore. The procurement was made under the Buy Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured category or Indian-IDMM. The 4th generation system provides a highly potent precision capability to accurately track and engage targets at sea, land, and in the air.

An intriguing aspect is that, according to the Ministry of Defence, these technologies will be deployed on the new generation offshore patrol boats (OPVs), which will also be manufactured by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering Limited, a Mini Ratna Category 1 Defence PSU. This move is expected to generate ten lakh man-days of employment over a four-year period and stimulate active engagement of diverse Indian sectors, especially MSMEs, greatly contributing to the government's efforts to attain 'AatmaNirbharta' in defence.

GRSE is a pioneer among the DPSUs in India, being the first to deliver the completely indigenous INS Ajay to the Indian Navy in 1961. Today, one of the significant projects in GRSE's portfolio is the Nilgiri class frigates, classified as project 17A.