India awards $68 million contract to modernize aging warships

The Indian Ministry of Defence has awarded a $68 million contract to BrahMos Aerospace to modernize aging naval vessels. The contract involves providing fire control systems and launchers compatible with BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missiles for Rajput-class destroyers and Vir-class frigates.

These vessels are based on the Soviet-era Project 1241 design. The modernization effort aims to upgrade existing ships, including the destroyers Ranveer and Ranvijay, by replacing older missile launchers with BrahMos-compatible systems. While the Indian Navy has not released specific details, reports indicate the contract covers two destroyers and two frigates.

The Rajput-class destroyers, originally imported from the Soviet Union between 1980 and 1987, currently include the active vessels Rana, Ranveer, and Ranvijay. The modernization is expected to significantly increase the domestic replacement rate for these systems.