The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed contracts worth approximately Rs. 41.06 bn for an indigenous communication satellite for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Varunastra heavyweight torpedoes for the Indian Navy. The agreements are intended to strengthen military communications and underwater warfare capabilities.

The contract for the GSAT-7C communication satellite, valued at Rs. 25.63 bn, was signed with NewSpace India (NSIL) in Bengaluru. A separate Rs. 15.43 bn contract for Varunastra heavyweight torpedoes was awarded to Bharat Dynamics (BDL) in Hyderabad. The agreements were signed in New Delhi in the presence of Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisition) A Anbarasu.

Designed, developed and manufactured domestically, GSAT-7C will provide secure, resilient and seamless communication among IAF assets. The dedicated satellite capability will support connectivity between aircraft and other military assets, particularly during operations covering large geographical areas where reliable information-sharing is important. It will also support efforts to improve beyond-line-of-sight communications through software-defined radios and ground hubs.

The second agreement covers Varunastra, a ship-launched heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Manufactured by BDL, the electrically propelled weapon has acoustic homing and advanced guidance capabilities, and is designed to engage enemy submarines in shallow and deep waters.

According to published specifications, Varunastra can operate at depths ranging from 8 to 600 m. The torpedo measures 7.78 m in length, has a diameter of 533.4 mm and weighs approximately 1,850 kg in combat configuration. Inducted into the Indian Navy in 2016, it will strengthen the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of compatible warships by giving them an indigenous weapon for tracking and engaging underwater targets.

The two agreements address separate operational requirements in the air and maritime domains while supporting domestic defence manufacturing. The MoD said the programmes align with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives, and will build national capabilities in military satellite communications and underwater weapons while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.