Govt wants private sector share in defence production to rise to 50%: Rajnath Singh
Speaking at the inauguration of a new defense manufacturing complex in Shirdi, Singh said the private sector has brought efficiency, research capabilities and greater willingness to take risks.
The facility, set up by Pune-based Nibe Defense, is expected to produce more than 500,000 155mm artillery shells annually, along with explosives, rockets and stray ammunition.
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“This facility will undoubtedly meet the operational needs of our armed forces while also representing a major step towards strengthening India’s defense industry,” Singh said.
He said he would use the powerful explosive compound RDX and modern propulsion technology to make advanced explosives.
The ammunition park signals that Nibe has begun producing long-range attack systems, small arms, earth observation satellites and precision attack drones. The Minister also signaled the delivery of Nibe’s first Suryastra long-range multiple barrel rocket launcher system to the Indian Army. The system, produced in India with technology transfer from the Israeli partner, can hit targets at a range of 150-300 km.
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“We will deliver the entire system this year,” said Balakrishnan Swamy, Nibe Defense’s chief technology officer.
The value of the army’s order for Suryastra, placed using emergency procurement powers after Operation Sindoor, was below ₹ 300 crore, he said. “We are looking for a larger order of 7-9 regiments of Suryastra, which is likely to be worth more than 6,000 crore,” Swamy said.
Nibe also plans to produce a variety of loose ammunition, starting from a smaller size that can hit targets at a distance of 100 km, to a larger weapon that can travel up to a distance of 1000 km. A new joint initiative to assemble and launch earth observation satellites was also announced during the event.
