Tunguska System Deal: India’s Defence Ministry has signed two new defence contracts worth a total of Rs 858 crore. These agreements were signed on March 27, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan-2 in New Delhi. One deal is for the Indian Army and the other is for the Indian Navy.
The Army deal is for the 2K22 Tunguska air defence missile system. The Navy deal is for depot-level inspection of the P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Official details released on March 27 said the Tunguska contract is worth Rs 445 crore and the P-8I inspection contract is worth Rs 413 crore.
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On the same day, the Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also cleared many big defence proposals worth about Rs 2.38 lakh crore. For the Indian Army, the approved items include the Air Defence Tracked System, Armoured Piercing Tank Ammunition, High Capacity Radio Relay, Dhanush Gun System and Runway Independent Aerial Surveillance System.
What the Tunguska System?
Ministry of Defence inks Rs 858 crore contracts for Tunguska Air Defence Missile System & Inspection (Depot Level) of P8I Aircraft
The contract for the procurement of Tunguska Air Defence Missile Systems, valued at Rs 445 crore, for the Indian Army, was signed with JSC… pic.twitter.com/9Atto14v0V
— PIB India (@PIB_India) March 27, 2026
The Tunguska is not a new system in the world, but it is still seen as useful because it can hit different kinds of air threats at short range. It is a Soviet-origin tracked air defence weapon that moves on its own and travels with ground forces. Its NATO name is SA-19 “Grison”. What makes it different is that it uses both missiles and guns on one platform. That means it can fight more than one kind of target and react fast in battle.
This system is built to protect troops from low-flying threats. That includes aircraft, drones, helicopters and cruise missiles. The missiles used in the system come mainly from the 9M311 family. They can hit targets at around 8 km to 10 km away and up to 3,500 metres high.
These missiles use radio command guidance for accuracy. The Tunguska also has twin 30 mm autocannons. These guns can fire very fast, between 3,900 and 5,000 rounds in one minute. That helps when a threat comes very close and there is very little time to react.
Tunguska System: Radar Power and Movement
The Tunguska also comes with strong tracking and radar support. It has a 360-degree target acquisition radar that can spot threats as far as 18 km away. It also has a tracking radar and a digital fire control system to help it aim better. Even if radar jamming happens, the system can still work because it also has optical tracking. That is important in modern war where electronic disruption is common.
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Another big strength of the Tunguska is movement which is placed on a tracked chassis, so it can move over rough ground and in bad weather with armoured units. It can also work as part of a larger air defence network and take information from outside surveillance systems. Over time, the system has gone through many upgrades. Versions like 2K22M and 2K22M1 brought better fire control, stronger missiles and more reliable performance.
