Mahindra Group has grand plans for the defence industry-:_A call to arms

JAISWAL

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A call to arms
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The factory south of Faridabad looks nondescript. There's nothing to tell this is India's first private factory dedicated to defence production. It belongs to Defense Land Systems India (DLSI), owned 74 per cent by the Mahindra group and 26 per cent by BAE Systems of Britain. In two sheds, spread over 110,000 sq ft, dozens work on armoured and bullet-proof vehicles — the Rakshak (on the Armada platform) for the Jammu & Kashmir Police, Scorpios, and even a Mahindra Navistar bus.

There are four 6X6 Ural trucks at one corner, on which will be mounted bullet-proof hulls made of imported steel once the body has been taken off the chassis. The mine-protected vehicle (it is yet to get a name) can seat 16 passengers, run 800 to 1,000 km on a fuel tank of 200 litres and can withstand 14 kg of TNT under the body and 21 kg under the wheel. The design of the hull is angular so that the pressure waves caused by the blast aren't absorbed and get deflected. The company claims it's just the right armoured vehicle for paramilitary operations in Naxalite-affected areas.
The factory has got an order for six from Jharkhand, and more are expected from Jammu & Kashmir. A prototype has been sent to Maharashtra, and a team from Nepal has shown interest in the vehicle. Once the orders are in, the factory is hopeful that it will roll out a mine-protected vehicle every two days. "I have told the home ministry," says DLSI Managing Director & CEO Brig (Retd) Khutub A Hai "if the government puts in Rs 200 to 250 crore (in this vehicle), the casualties to the paramilitary forces will come down 90 per cent."

In the basement of an adjoining building, overhead projectors create a 3D video of an infantry combat vehicle. With the help of a keyboard, one can see it from inside, behind and underneath. Any defect in design can be corrected here before the drawings are sent to the factory. There are simulators for the driver as well as the gunner seated next to him. This is the first step in Anand Mahindra's plans to make it big in defence. It's driven by more than just a citizen's concern for the country's security — various think-tank estimates suggest that the Indian armed forces will buy equipment worth $75 to 100 billion over the next seven or so years. Defence production has been opened up for the private sector with 26 per cent foreign participation. The procurement policies have been amended to allow companies to bid for orders. The flip side is that very few purchases have been made through this route.

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Hai, commissioned into the cavalry in 1966, left the armed forces in 1998 to join Mahindra & Mahindra. The government had sent out the first signals that the monopoly of the state-owned ordnance factories and the public sector in defence could end and there could be a role for the private sector. Mahindra & Mahindra,
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.............................for full article go to above link.
 

pmaitra

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Mahindra makes good jeeps. No doubt, especially with the Ford/Willy's heritage.

However, they need to prove to be reliable and capable. One thing that stands out like a sore thumb is the Mahindra US Truck Launch Fiasco. They need to settle that first.

Love their jeeps, cannot trust their commitments.

Also, it is not that this is the first time some India auto-product is going to the west. Mahindra has simply failed to plan and act on time.
 

asianobserve

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This is the correct way forward in building up India's defense industry. And Indian private firms have been found to be very competitive worldwide. If the same competitive spirit therefore is directed to defense it's beyond doubt that India in the next 20 years will have a world class defense industry.
 

Rahul Singh

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Mahindra is in aerospace and in land vehicles. They are bidding for Army Future Infantry Combat Vehicle as well as for 4x4 and 8x8 APCs. I believe Mahindra is perfectly set to become largest supplier to Indian Army, considering IA is willing to become Indian Army from Imported Army.
 

debasree

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so mahindra marks man is just a begining,more to come i want to know more about their aerospace business,and what is the future product of the mahindra aerospace.
 

Rahul Singh

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Mahindra has acquired majority stake in two Australian companies, Aerostaff Australia and Gippsland Aeronautics and is also developing NM-5 with NAL and its initial plans is to give Cessna run for money in small segment.

Aerostaff Australia (AA) is a component manufacturer of high-precision close-tolerance aircraft components and assemblies for large aerospace OEMs.

Gippsland Aeronautics (GA) is an established brand in general aviation and has delivered more than 200 FAR 23* certified planes in 32 countries.
link
 

ejazr

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The interesting news was that MDS has already established a unit in UAE especially for the export market in ME and Africa region.

And this collaboration with BAE means MDS has done India a great service by blocking sale of weapons to China and Pakistan although it has to keep away from Iran as well.

In addition, Mahindra & Mahindra has set up at Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates a company called Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring to sell in markets like Afghanistan, Iraq and North Africa. (Mahindra & Mahindra owns 51 per cent of it, the rest of the stake is with Arabia Holdings and Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority). It started operations in April. Hai, whose third hat is the chairman of this company, says a sizeable order has come from Ghana for armoured Scorpios. Oman is keen to order the Marksman light bullet-proof vehicles build on the Scorpio platform. "Ultimately, we will have to look at the international market," says he. But there will be some restrictions. BAE Systems, thus, will not take DLSI products to sensitive markets like Pakistan and China, while Mahindra Defence Systems won't take these products to markets like Iran which BAE Systems could be sensitive to.
 

Rahul92

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But i like their Mahindra Marksman light armored vehicle, which will complement the Axe

 

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