AIDTOA welcomes the decision of MoD asking the DRDO to indigenously develop and produce Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for the Army.

All India DRDO Technical Officers’ Association (AIDTOA) welcomes the decision of Ministry of Defence asking the DRDO to indigenously develop and produce Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for the Army cancelling the $500 million deal for Spike ATGM with Israel.

DRDO has successfully produced the Nag and Anamika ATGMs and is confident about providing the Army with an MPATGM of 3rd generation missile technology, at par with Spike. It won’t also need any transfer of technology. Importing a foreign ATGM at this stage would adversely impact the programme for indigenous development of the weapon system by DRDO. 

In 2009, the MoD accepted the requirement of buying 321 ATGM launchers and 8,356 missiles, with 30 per cent offsets and a transfer of technology clause. An option of approaching the US for buying Javelin ATGM was also explored, but the US government was not amenable to transfer of technology.

Spike missiles of Rafael, Israel underwent trials in 2011-12 and the trials highlighted a problem with one of the two homing devices in the launcher which led to constitution of a study group. In the experts committee to review the evaluation report and explore the possibility of an indigenous missile system, there was divergence in the views of the DRDO representatives and Army representatives over the case. The matter was eventually resolved earlier this month with Army headquarters agreeing to retract the Request for Proposal (RFP) for ATGM launchers and missiles.