Tungsten supply glitch hits Pinaka rockets

NAGPUR: A foreign vendor haggling over prices has hit the production of Pinaka rockets, an important weapon system of the artillery. The rockets are made in the ordnance factories including that in Ambajhari and are also suitable for mountain warfare.

Its warheads are filled with tungsten balls to enhance lethality and can be fired up to a range of 40 kms. However, tungsten suppliers, which comes from France, has been held up as the international prices of the metal have shot from around $35 a kg to close to $50 in recent times. The tungsten suppliers now want higher rates and ordnance factory is not willing to shell out the extra amount. This has affected supply of tungsten hampering the production of rockets, said a source closely involved with the affairs.

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