Indian Army Signs ₹80.43 Crore Contract for Indigenous Chemical Detection Systems

New Delhi: In a major step towards bolstering the nation’s defense capabilities and promoting self-reliance, the Indian Army has signed a contract worth ₹80.43 crore with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Ltd. for the procurement of 223 Automatic Chemical Agent Detection and Alarm (ACADA) systems. The agreement, finalized on February 25 under the ‘Buy Indian (IDDM)’ category, aligns with the Government of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, as more than 80% of the system’s components and sub-systems will be sourced locally.

Designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) in Gwalior, the ACADA system marks a significant milestone in India’s indigenous advancements in the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) defense sector.

The ACADA system is a state-of-the-art technology that detects chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and programmed toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) by continuously sampling the surrounding air. Operating on the principle of Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS), the system features two highly sensitive IMS cells, allowing for real-time detection and monitoring of harmful substances.

The induction of these advanced detection systems into the Indian Army’s field units will significantly enhance its defensive CBRN capabilities, providing crucial protection during both military operations and peacetime emergencies, including disaster relief efforts in the event of industrial chemical accidents.