India signs Rs 975 crore deal to boost minefield breaching capability

New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 22, 2026 07:32 IST

India has taken a significant step to strengthen its battlefield mobility, with the Ministry of Defence signing contracts worth Rs 975crore for the procurement of TRAWL assemblies for T-72 and T-90tanks.

The agreements were inked on April 21, 2026, in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, with Bharat Earth Movers Limited and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Private Limited tasked with supplying the equipment.

The TRAWL system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, is designed to enhance the Indian Army’s ability to breach minefields. It enables the creation of safe lanes for armoured vehicles, particularly in areas with anti-tank mines equipped with proximity magnetic fuses, thereby improving operational effectiveness in combat scenarios.

Officials said the procurement falls under the “Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)” category, underscoring the government’s push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Beyond military capability, the project is also expected to provide a boost to domestic industry, with potential for significant direct and indirect employment generation, particularly through the MSME sector involved in component manufacturing.