How powerful is India’s Pinaka, which fires 12 rockets in 44 seconds? Which France will buy!

Media reports have claimed that India will buy Rafale from France and France will buy rocket launcher Pinaka from India.

French President Emmanuel Macron is on a visit to India. On Tuesday, he will come to New Delhi after attending several programs with PM Narendra Modi in Mumbai. Amidst the meeting of the two leaders, media reports have claimed that India will buy Rafale from France and France will buy rocket launcher Pinaka from India.

Pinak is an indigenous multi-barrel rocket launcher system made in India. Many experts are considering the possibility that France may consider purchasing or joint production of the Pinaka system in the future. In fact, this question becomes stronger because France is already having a strong partnership with India in many areas like Rafale fighter aircraft, helicopter engines, submarine technology and radar systems.

Come, let us know what Pinaka is? What is its lethality? And doesn’t France already have such a system?

What is Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher System?

Pinaka is a state-of-the-art Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) system developed by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). It is named after Pinaka, the bow of Lord Shiva. This system is capable of providing heavy fire power in any modern battlefield, striking a large area and destroying enemy targets at a rapid pace. Pinaka has been built on a large scale by India in collaboration with several defense industry partners. This is one of the major successes of the Make in India programme.

How many versions of Pinaka are there?

• Pinaka Mk-I: Its range is 3745 km. This system is capable of firing a complete salvo of 12 rockets from its single launcher in just 44 seconds.
• Pinaka Mk-II: Its distance is 6075 km. Its features include better navigation, high-precision and high explosive carrying capacity.
• Guided Pinaka: Its distance is 7590 km. It is capable of more accurate strikes on targets with GPS/INS based guidance.

Features of Pinaka

• Extreme Area Destructive Potential: A Pinaka battery consists of six launcher vehicles, each carrying 12 rockets. This means that a single battery can fire 72 rockets in just 44 seconds, which has the capacity to destroy an area approximately the size of a football stadium.
• Fast deployment and relocation: Its mobile, wheel-based launcher can change position within minutes. This provides protection from enemy radar and artillery counter battery fire.
• Higher Accuracy and Better Guidance: Guided Pinaka uses Inertial Navigation System (INS) and satellite guidance, making it many times more accurate than conventional rockets.
• Available indigenously and at low cost: Its price is much lower than foreign systems like the Russian Smerch and the American HIMARS, while the performance is not only almost equal, but in many cases better.
• Ability to work in any terrain: Able to attack fearlessly even in desert, mountains, plains or low temperature areas, that is, it is very easy to operate in all types of environments.

How does this work?

Pinaka system is mainly based on the following components.

• Launcher Vehicle: Mounted on 6×6 or 8×8 trucks. It is with fully automatic digital control system.
• Loader-cum-Refilling Vehicle: Ability to load in minutes, allowing continuous firing cycles.
• Command Post Vehicle: Prepares firing solutions based on parameters such as target data, weather, wind speed and direction.
• Operation Process: The command post feeds the target’s location data into the system. Ballistic computer comes up with fire solution. The launcher rotates in a fixed direction. The automatic fire control system fires all the rockets one by one.

Does France not have such a system?

France certainly has rocket artillery, but does not have a long range, heavy saturation fire and low cost indigenous MBRL system like Pinaka. France is mainly dependent on Lance-Roquettes Unitaire. It is basically a European variant of the American M270 MLRS. Its range is about 70 km but it is heavy and very expensive. It does not offer an open, low-cost, rapidly deployable multi-barrel solution like Pinaka. There is currently no indigenous MBRL in the French industry that can compete with India’s Pinaka – especially in cost and production capacity. Therefore, it seems logical for France to show interest in Pinaka.

How many countries are buying Pinaka from India?

Over the last few years, India has actively introduced Pinaka to the global market. Till now, the countries with which India has officially held talks or has shown interest include the following countries.

• Armenia: In the year 2022-2023, a deal of about 250 million dollars was made for Pinaka System. This is India’s first big Pinaka export.
• Philippines: Has shown interest in Pinaka for coastal defense and ground-based rocket systems. Talks have taken place at many levels.
• Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar: The evaluation process for medium range MBRL systems is underway in all three countries. The cost effectiveness of the Indian system is said to be a major reason.
• Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana: DRDO and Defense Ministry have started talks with the three countries. The presentation has taken place.

Why is Pinaka attracting France?

Its price is quite low compared to European defense systems. India can make it on a large scale with the help of both private and government industries. The already strong defense cooperation between the two countries increases this possibility. After the Ukraine war, the demand for long-range rocket artillery has increased rapidly in European countries.

Pinaka is not just a weapon system but a symbol of India’s growing defense self-reliance capability. It is a modern multi-barrel rocket launcher providing more firepower at a lower cost, which has given new heights to the combat capability of the Indian Army.

The speculation of France purchasing Pinaka is also important because it shows the global acceptance of the Indian defense industry. If France indeed agrees to buy it or to joint production, it will be a historic export opportunity for India and a new phase of strong strategic partnership.

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