The Indian Army has received the first batch of locally manufactured Multi-Mode Hand Grenades (MMHG).
These hand grenades were made by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) following the transfer of technology from Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)’s Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory.
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Indian Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh lauded the handover and termed it a big step towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. He also congratulated DRDO and EEL for ensuring quick delivery amid restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
MMHG feature a distinctive design and can be used in both defensive (fragmentation) and offensive (stun) modes.
Additionally, the grenades are said to have highly accurate delay time, as well as being more lethal and safer compared to their predecessors.
MMHG will replace Grenade No 36 of First World War vintage design, which had been in use to date.
Last year, EEL signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence to deliver one million modern hand grenades for the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The deliveries would be spread over two years.
Notably, EEL received the grenade manufacturing technology from DRDO in 2016.
In 2017-18, the Indian Army and Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) carried out extensive trials in plains, deserts and in high altitudes to assess the effectiveness of the grenades.
Last month, DRDO conducted the flight tests of Man-Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) and the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG). Both the tests were successful.
