Coimbatore: There are lot of inquiries for Akash missile from different countries and negotiations were on with those interested, a top DRDO official said today.

There was a good demand for Akash, the all-weather medium-range surface-to-air missile, developed indigenously, from both in Indian Air Force and Army and many foreign countries, DRDO Chairman Dr S Christopher told reporters here.

Without divulging details, including that of countries which evinced interest, Christopher said talks were on and “it will come”. About the allocation for Research and Development, he said this year the organisation had a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,000 crore.

Christopher, who was here to participate in a function where L and T Defence handed over the 1,000th Integrated Propulsion Airframe System Hardware of Akash Missile to public sector Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), also said that there were export inquiries for Brahmos Missile.

BDL Chairman and Managing Director V Udaya Bhaskar said this variant of Ashok missile was going to be in good demand for another three to four years, since both Air Force and Army wanted them in good numbers.

L and T Board whole-time director (defence) Jayant Patil said a new aerospace facility to become operational in another 10 months would manufacture rocket motors needed by ISRO.The company, which has so far invested Rs 500 crore in the unit here, is also supplying air frame to Brahmos missile and will expand the product range in the near future.