India looking to acquire high-capacity radio relay equipment

Bharat Electronics Limited may offer its 100 Mbps HCRR (pictured) to the Indian Army. (BEL)

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently issued a request for information (RFI) for high-capacity radio relay (HCRR) equipment for the Indian Army.

According to the RFI, the MoD will acquire 800 units of HCRR equipment for the Indian Army. In addition, the HCRR equipment should “meet the operational aim of engineering and setting up secure, high-bandwidth, point-to-point communication links networks in high-altitude areas, mountainous [areas], plains, and deserts”. The RFI is open to “Indian Vendors” as defined under Paragraph 20 in Chapter I of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020.

Further, the HCRR equipment should comprise a radio, an antenna, and a power subsystem. Moreover, the HCRR equipment should be transportable by a detachment of three personnel in multiple roles. These include a semi-permanent role for deployment on the required terrain, a mobile role with the whole system fitted in a 5 or 7.5-ton vehicle, and a static role with the HCRR equipment stationed in a field shelter. The HCRR's design should also enable transportation by troops and on mules.

The last date of response to the RFI is 2 May 2022.