In a major development signalling the growing private sector partnership to meet India’s defence and militaryware inventory, Adani Defence & Aerospace today saw the inauguration of two mega facilities to manufacture ammunition and missiles.
The cutting-edge facilities, first of their kind in the domestic private sector, will provide impetus to the nation’s self-reliance and technological advancement in defence manufacturing.
The facilities, South Asia’s largest, were inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Army chief Gen Manoj Pande on the outskirts of Kanpur district.
Interestingly, the unveiling coincided with the 5th anniversary of the Balakot airstrike ‘Operation Bandar’, a historic operation by the Indian Air Force heralding India’s strategic assertiveness over external threats.
Spread over 500 acres, the facility is set to become one of the largest integrated ammunition manufacturing complexes in this part of the world.
It will produce high-quality small, medium and large calibre ammunition for the armed forces, paramilitary forces and police.
The facility has started rolling out small calibre ammunition, starting with 150 million rounds, thus catering an estimated 25 percent of India’s annual requirement.
In the future, the plant will manufacture a larger basket of defence wares and also cater the lucrative export market.
“The facility is a testimony to UP’s transformation into an industrial powerhouse and commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative,” Yogi said in his address.
He said the investment by Adani Defence & Aerospace will play a crucial role in developing a vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The first phase of the plant has been commissioned within 18 months of allocating land. While Rs 1,500 crore has already been invested in the project, an additional trance of Rs 1,500 crore will be invested over the next five years.
“Recent geopolitical events have reemphasised the need for a reliable supply from internal sources for ammunition in preparedness for a long-drawn conflict,” Gen Pande observed.
Adani Defence & Aerospace is also focused on developing capabilities across unmanned segment, counter drones, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies and cyber defence.
Ashish Rajvanshi, Adani Defence & Aerospace CEO, said, with a planned investment of over Rs 3,000 crore, the impact of the ambitious project extends beyond the defence sector.
“It will create 4,000 jobs, with five times the multiplier effect on MSMEs and the local ecosystem benefiting from it indirectly,” he added.
Talking to newspersons before the inauguration ceremony, Rajvanshi said the project was by far the largest in the UP Defence Industrial Corridor, and would provide heft to the state in attracting big ticket investment, especially defence manufacturing.
The Corridor comprises six nodes in UP viz. Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Agra and Chitrakoot districts.
An industry 4.0 facility, the Kanpur unit has state-of-the-art automation ensuring highest standards in quality, safety and reliability using artificial intelligence and data analytics.
Being a PESO certified complex, it will also house explosive handling facilities for missiles and precision-guided munitions.
Being a PESO certified complex, it will also house explosive handling facilities for missiles and precision-guided munitions.