The Indian Army’s Combat Engineers Directorate has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to acquire approximately 350 portable stand-off explosive detectors. This procurement initiative aims to substantially strengthen counter-improvised explosive device capabilities and enhance troop safety across sensitive regions.
Military officials specified that the hand-held systems must identify traces of commercial, military, and homemade explosives without direct physical contact. The devices are required to deliver clear detection results in less than 30 seconds.
Key Technical Requirements for Hand-Held Detectors
The newly proposed detectors must fulfill rigorous technical standards to ensure maximum utility in diverse operational environments. According to the Combat Engineers Directorate guidelines, the equipment must possess specific operational capabilities:
- Identify both organic and inorganic explosive materials.
- Detect traces across multiple states, including liquid, vapour, particle, powder, and mixed forms.
- Enable bomb disposal teams to conduct safe inspections from a distance without touching suspicious objects.
- Provide actionable detection readouts within a 30-second timeframe.
These specifications allow security personnel to make rapid tactical decisions during active counter-terror operations, minimizing risk to human personnel.
Strategic Context and Recent Security Threats
This acquisition initiative comes amid recurring security threats and recent recoveries of hazardous devices across volatile sectors. Notable incidents underscoring the pressing need for advanced stand-off detection equipment include:
- The recovery of a 14.3 kg explosive device on the Zainapora-Chitragam road in Shopian during April.
- The successful neutralization of an explosive device in Awneera village.
- An earlier operation in Poonch that led to the recovery of a 4.5 kg IED alongside smaller devices and foreign grenades.
Improvised explosive devices continue to pose a significant asymmetric threat to military convoys, infrastructure, and patrols, necessitating advanced technology to secure operational theaters.
Wider Modernization and Domestic Manufacturing Mandates
The procurement of 350 portable explosive detectors forms part of a wider modernization effort by the Combat Engineers Directorate. Recently, the directorate also sought details for 250 telescopic manipulators and 386 dual-technology mine detectors under a ₹290 crore defense tender.
In accordance with the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, the procurement will proceed strictly under domestic manufacturing categories. Vendors participating in the tender are required to maintain at least 50 percent indigenous content in critical components, hardware, and software, reinforcing India’s push toward self-reliance under the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat frameworks.
