DRDO, PSU and Private Defence Sector News

[Prashant12]

IIT-Indore designs smart bio-mimetic aquatic robot

Institute is also developing memory alloy integrated glass fiber reinforced composite flapper for missiles

Indore : A team of researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Indore has designed smart material based bio-mimetic aquatic robot that can probe underwater conditions and can be used for surveillance.

“Dr IA Palani with his research group at IIT-Indore has developed the robot,” said Nirmala Menon, media in-charge of IIT-Indore.

IIT-Indore is focused on developing smart material based micro-devices and robotic systems. Dr Palani with his research group at IIT-Indore is into the development of shape memory alloy (smart material) based intelligent devices.

The group has designed a bio-mimetic shape memory alloy actuated underwater robots.

This project aims at bio-mimicking the undulating motion of a fish, using carangiform mode of swimming and uses its tail fin for propulsion.

“The skeleton of the robot fish is designed using CAD and the final prototype is 3D printed. SMA springs were chosen as actuators and it acts as a dynamic rib between the skeletal structures. The skin and the caudal fin of the robot is manufactured at IIT-Indore using photopolymer, which was cured by UV rays to get the desired shape as an elastomer,” Menon said.

The posterior end of the fish is made with a thin skin of soft polymer. The buoyancy of the robot is set so that, robot floats just below the surface of water. Fin is flexible to mimic the motion of a real fish. This robot has a potential application in probing the underwater condition and surveillance.

Project was completely funded under promotion of research for undergraduate student (PRIUS) scheme from IIT-Indore.

Research scholars from Mechatronics and Instrumentation lab at IIT-Indore have demonstrated for the first time, a novel copper-based flexible SMA bi-morph, with high flexibility and recovery ratio.

This bi-morph has potential application towards energy harvesting and MEMS based device.

A project has been initiated in collaboration with Volvo Eicher, MHRD and IIT-Indore for waste heat recovery from automobile engine using SMA bi-morph.

Post graduate students at IIT-Indore are involved in developing several other SMA actuated micro devices which include micro-valves for drug delivery and SMA actuated stewart platform for opto-mechatronics device.

Further the research group is into the development of shape memory alloy integrated glass fiber reinforced composite flapper for missiles. This flapper will be helpful to precisely control the orientation of missiles. This project is in collaboration with Defense Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and IIT-Indore.

http://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/iit-indore-designs-smart-bio-mimetic-aquatic-robot/901367

 

[Indx TechStyle]

We are making our own AIP system with DRDO: Admiral Sunil Lanba
Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba receives guard of honour (Video embedded in the website page)

MUMBAI: Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today said India is indigenously building AIP-enabled submarines.

"We are making our own AIP (air independent propulsion) indigenous system with DRDO. At present, project definition is going on. Prototypes based plant is being constructed and once it is ready, it will be fitted in the Kalvari-class submarines," Admiral Lanba said during his first media interaction after taking over as Navy Chief.

To a query if Pakistan's acquisition of submarines fitted with AIP system from China was a threat to India, he said, "The submarines have capabilities. But we have system in place and operation in place which we can look after that."

The Naval chief said the force was committed to building indigenous ship in-line with the 'Make in India' initiative and at present, 46 ships and submarines were being built in the country.

"The Navy has been focused on indigenisation right from the beginning. We have been building ships in India for over decades and 200 naval ships have been built in India till date. At the moment, 46 ships and submarines are under construction and are all being built in Indian shipyards," he said.
"We work closely with DRDO and other private sector industries to ensure our weapons and sensors are titled with India. We are focused and committed to make in India," Lanba said. Talking about India's stand after China rejected an international tribunal ruling on the disputed waters of the South China Sea, he said rule of law should be followed.

"As far as South China Sea goes...and arbitration which has been done...and decision which has been taken, India's stand has always been that disputes should be resolved on the basis of laws, there should be freedom of navigation and rule of law should be followed," he said.

The Hague tribunal backed the Philippines in a case on the disputed waters of the South China Sea, ruling that rocky outcrops claimed by China - some of which are exposed only at low tide - cannot be used as the basis of territorial claims.

 

[cobra commando]

IIT-M student's underwater robot 'Duli' catches attention of DRDO

______________________________

 

[cobra commando]

Work on DRDO vessel begins at shipyard

The cutting of the first steel plate, the initial step in the construction of a ship, took place at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for Ship No. 20 of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday. Y. Sreenivas Rao, scientist and project director of the Ship No.20 project, DRDO, Hyderabad, cut the first steel plate by switching on the plate cutting machine. The ceremony was conducted in the hull shop of the yard. Madhu S. Nair, chairman and managing director, directors, officers, supervisors and workmen of the CSL were present. Senior representatives from the Indian Register of Shipping and DNV-GL, the classification societies for the vessel, also attended the ceremony, said a release.
The ship with a length of 118.4 metre, width of 20 metre and draft of 7.1 metre and having a weight of 3,900 tonne, was contracted in last August. The CSL is currently building a barge for the National Petroleum Construction Company, Abu Dhabi. The shipyard has started the design work for two vessels of “1,200 passenger cum 1,000 tonne cargo” capacity and another two “500 passenger cum 150 tonne cargo” capacity vessels for the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. The shipyard has already delivered 18 of the 20 Fast Patrol Vessels built for the Coast Guard and the remaining two vessels are getting ready for delivery. The Ro-Ro vessels for the Kochi Corporation are also scheduled to be delivered soon.

Work on DRDO vessel begins at shipyard

 

[Indx TechStyle]

GSL to build a design hub for mine sweeper project

PANAJI: As Goa Shipyard Limited pushes ahead with the mine counter measure vessel or 'mine sweeper project', it has decided to build a dedicated centre for the project at a cost of approximately 100 crore. The MCMV hub, as Goa Shipyard calls it, will host the design centre and the production planning control department which will oversee the construction of 12 mine counter measure vessels for the Indian Navy. Construction of the MCMV hub has been tasked to NBCC, which has been asked to complete the construction in 16-18 months.

Once the MCMV hub is prepared, it will house a team of 25-50 experts from the technology partner, South Korean firm Kangnam Corp, chairman and managing director of Goa Shipyard Shekhar Mittal said. "We hope to lay the foundation stone in October and start construction by February. The centre will be within the current GSL premises," Mittal said.

NBCC, formerly known as National Buildings Construction Corporation, is a government of India 'navratna' company under the Union ministry of urban development. Goa Shipyard and NBCC signed a memorandum of understanding on August 8 for the construction of the MCMV centre.

"In addition, NBCC shall also develop a master plan for the entire area comprising the existing parking complex, garden area, existing HR and admin block including medical dispensary, time offices and punching booths, amenity building, administrative building, transport section, power house west and fire station and such other areas within the vicinity," Mittal said.

The MCMV project envisages the construction of 12 mine sweeper vessels for the Indian Navy at an approximate cost of 32000 crore, as part of 'Make in India' and import substitute program of the ministry of defence. The state-of-the-art war vessels will be built indigenously for the first time in the country by Goa Shipyard.

"The project is in its final stages and we should get the final clearance in another 10 days," Mittal said.

 

[rishivashista13]

India’s Indigenous Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Processing well : Report -


India’s Indigenous Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) developed by DRDO’s Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) for Unmanned Aerial vehicle (UAVs) is reportedly progressing well and may be flight tested by end of 2016 or early 2017 from a modified Dornier Do-228 which will act as flying test bed (FTB) for the program said a well-informed sources close to idrw.org .
LRDE’s SAR will be integrated with India’s Rustom-2 which is Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs at later stages of its development but at present LRDE will be using it on modified Dornier Do-228 dedicated flying test bed in the initial stage of developmental testing and trials .
LRDE’s SAR will be lightweight and feature a modular and open architecture system, which can be configured for a broad range of installations for applications onboard unmanned aircraft. The radar will be able to perform Wide Area Search with very high resolutions for stationary and as well as for moving targets . LRDE is also planning to develop a derivate of this radar for operations from manned reconnaissance aircraft .
LRDE is also reportedly working on Maritime Patrol Airborne Radar for UAVs which also will be used on Maritime variant of Rustom-2 for Indian Navy and will also have Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging feature in them to perform multimode all-weather airborne maritime surveillance and provide a cost-effective force multiplier solution for operational missions in the maritime theatre .

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[airtel]

DRDO should develop something like this >>

 

[Kunal Biswas]

We have MGL which is better in practice both in weight and destruction and in bonus maintenance ..

US army use same version of MGL but a little modified ..

DRDO should develop something like this >>

 

[Indx TechStyle]

DRDO gets into action mode

Perturbed over Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) inability to meet deadlines for key projects that often lead to huge cost overruns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last year urged the organisation to ensure delivery on time. The defence research agency, headed by S Christopher, is now keeping a hawk’s eye on all projects that have been delayed for long periods of time. The value of systems, products and technologies developed by DRDO and inducted into the armed forces or in the process of induction stands at over R1,90,000 crore.

DRDO has designed and developed a large number of products and systems for defence forces. These include combat vehicles, missiles, multi-barrel rocket launcher, unmanned aerial vehicles, radars, electronic warfare systems, sonars, torpedos, communication systems, cyber systems etc. Many of the products, originally developed for defence forces, can also be used by state police forces in addition to other agencies, like NDRF. The ministry of home affairs has also shortlisted about 146 items for trials, out of which trials of 78 products have already been completed.

Getting into action mode, an indigenous heavyweight torpedo called Varunastra, developed by Naval Science and Technological Laboratory of the DRDO, has been inducted by the Indian Navy. Weighing around 1.25 tonnes, the torpedo carries about 250 kg of explosives at a speed of around 40 nautical miles an hour. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, when handing over the torpedo to the Indian Navy in June, asked the DRDO to do “hand-holding” for the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) which will be manufacturing the torpedo. India is among a group of elite nations which have the capability. Project director for Varunastra torpedo P Trimurthulu termed it a huge success for the team which had been working on the project for the past decade. The torpedo, which has already been test-fired from ships, will soon be fired from a submarine.

Last month saw the induction of two indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas—after a delay of almost three decades—at a ceremony at IAF’s Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru. Tejas is a 4th generation fighter aircraft which can carry air to air missiles, air to ground rocket/missiles/ anti-ship missiles/laser guided bombs and conventional bombs. Tejas has been developed in the country after a technology gap of around two decades of HF Marut by DRDO. Its development by LCA (Tejas) team at ADA, an autonomous society of DRDO is unique in the light of the fact that there was no infrastructure base and negligible technological base available in the country for
undertaking development of a modern combat aircraft.

Moving further, DRDO is in the process of developing a niche technology, called the air independent propulsion (AIP) technology, that will enable future Indian-built submarines to stay underwater for longer periods. The agency’s Ambernath-based Naval Material Research Laboratory (NMRL) is working on a technology demonstration project for development of a land-based prototype for AIP for submarine propulsion. With the AIP, the vulnerability of a submarine for detection by enemy warships can be reduced by increasing its underwater
endurance in dived conditions.

Normally, diesel electric generators are used by conventional submarines to charge its batteries that provide propulsion power when the submarine is in dived conditions. To run the generators, the submarine has to surface for taking in air and throwing out the exhaust. Using the AIP system, a submarine can charge batteries without surfacing. The Naval Material Research Laboratory is developing two different types of fuel cells for the AIP operation of diesel electric submarines PAFC (phosphoric acid fuel cell) for major use and PEMFC (polymer electrolyte fuel cell) for minor use.

Says Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, “We are making our own AIP (air independent propulsion) indigenous system with DRDO. At present, project definition is going on. Prototypes based plant is being constructed and once it is ready, it will be fitted in the Kalvari-class submarines.”

The changing nature of warfare has necessitated development of weapons suitable for use in urban or confined environment where target defeat can be achieved without undue collateral damage. In this scenario, military forces world over are looking for ammunition which is insensitive in nature with target specific warheads and improved delivery systems. In line with these requirements, HEMRL (another lab of DRDO) has developed the technology of thermobaric explosives which is a critical milestone in the path to development of advanced futuristic weapon systems.

Thermobaric explosives (TBE) classified as enhanced blast explosives are one of the recent advances in the field of high explosives. TBE technology gained interest due to the changing nature of modern day warfare where combatants are frequently fighting from caves, tunnels, bunkers, vehicles and multi-room structures in urban environments. Conventional explosives designed to produce high blast overpressure and fragmentation effects have limitations in defeating targets in hard enclosed spaces like tunnels or caves.

Among others, the PINAKA weapon system is another feather in the DRDO’s cap. Developed in India, it has multi-barrel rocket launcher for twelve rockets in two pods that can be fired simultaneously. Then, there is the main battle tank Arjun mark II, which today boasts of the state-of-the-art technology incorporated into it had to overcome a lot of hurdles before achieving many progressions, including 15 enhancements.

It has a combat weight of 62 tonnes (fully loaded and can move at 60 km/hour on road with 1400 horsepower engine. With a smart rate of firepower 6 to 8 rounds per minute, its potency is boosted with missiles automatic target tracking and maximised penetration characteristics. It is equipped with advanced land navigation system and enhanced night vision capabilities too.

Besides developing advanced radar systems for battlefield surveillance, 3D low-level light-weight radar and maritime patrol airborne radar, DRDO has developed and inducted a troop-level radar for Akash weapon system, which is the air defence system for the Indian army. It has the capability to perform extensive search, track multiple targets and missiles and to command and guide own multiple missiles concurrently.

Without doubt, DRDO has been making all possible efforts in making the country self-reliant in the defence sector.

Though, I don't agree.

 

[Rahul Singh]

DRDO gets into action mode


Though, I don't agree.

Earlier DRDO was another institution working under scandalous Congress government. Now it is under Modi. There is a difference. Today we are talking about everything indigenous; from hand gun to ICBMs. Earlier it was only ICBMs because no government no matter how much you are willing to pay will let its companies sell you those technologies because of its possible lethal repercussions. But everything else was on sell list and were being bought and any attempts to replace them with local made substitutes were being scuttled.

 

[Raj Malhotra]

One can fire sophisticated 25 mm rounds through vidhwansak rifle but alas it is not imported maal.

 

[Raj Malhotra]

One can fire sophisticated 25 mm rounds through vidhwansak rifle but alas it is not imported maal.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Defence ministry readies war chest, eyes $8.3 billion parked with PSUs

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has been trying to streamline spending, cutting down on wasteful expenses and pruning the cost of acquisition.

NEW DELHI: Faced with a dismal allocation in the annual budget, the defence ministry is looking to unlock a virtual treasure chest of funds lying unused in public sector units (PSUs). An internal study has revealed that outstanding advances to these enterprises — money usually given towards the end of the financial year from the capital budget — have swollen to $8.3 billion over the years.

In a new set of instructions sent across last week, financial managers have been asked to review the very system of providing advance payments to the public sector. ET has learnt that the ministry is concerned that PSUs have been using the interest generated from advance payments to show profits, instead of generating revenues from their core area of expertise.

"Provision of advance shall not be a profit-making proposition for PSUs. Either they shall be subjected to provide interest on advance drawn or interest bearing financial instruments be obtained as a guarantee against the advance given," a letter sent to all financial managers in the ministry reads. According to the internal audit, while the total amount outstanding from PSUs is Rs 55,892 crore ($8.3 billion), most of it is (Rs 51,573 crore) with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. These are advance payments made since as early as 1975 which have still not been accounted for, the audit reveals.

The ministry has also red-flagged the practice of parking funds in PSUs as advance payments towards the end of the budget year as capital funds remained unspent over the years. "PSUs shall raise funds under the provisions of Companies Act and directives issued by SEBI rather than be used as ideal place for parking of government funds released under budgetary system," the note sent to all PSUs reads.

As a first step, instructions have been passed to clear the outstanding funds till the year 2000. Also, a new provision will be put in place for "levy of penal interest if the advances extended to PSUs are not utilised within the given period for the purpose for which it has been released", it pointed out. Faced with a grim realisation that the Defence budget will remain limited over the next few years with no major increase planned, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has been trying to streamline spending, cutting down on wasteful expenses and pruning the cost of acquisition.

In the last financial year, the ministry unlocked a corpus of $2.3 billion that was lying as advance payments made into Indian accounts in the US for purchase of equipment under the foreign military sales pact.

READ MORE:
US|SEBI|PSUs|Place|New Delhi|New|Manohar Parrikar

 

[rishivashista13]

DRDO successfully tests Two New 30km and 100km ‘glide bombs’ in Pokhran -


India has moved closer to self-dependence in precision-guided ‘smart glide bombs’ as it conducted covert trials of these bombs successfully at Pokhran firing range in Jaisalmer on Friday.Christened as ‘Garuthmaa’ and ‘Garudaa’, the ‘glide bombs’ are being indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Of these two drop trials, the test of Garudaa, the non-winged glide-bomb, was carried out to evaluate its precision for a range of 30 kilometres on Thursday. In another set of drop trials on Friday, both Garudaa and ‘Garuthmaa’ were successfully tested from a Su-30 MKI aircraft.
Garuthmaa, the 1,000-kg winged smart glide bomb, was tested for its maximum 100-km range. Top DRDO officials termed the tests as a ‘major success’.


Want to Read more .........

http://idrw.org/drdo-successfully-tests-two-new-30km-100km-glide-bombs-pokhran/

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[Chinmoy]

DRDO successfully tests Two New 30km and 100km ‘glide bombs’ in Pokhran -


India has moved closer to self-dependence in precision-guided ‘smart glide bombs’ as it conducted covert trials of these bombs successfully at Pokhran firing range in Jaisalmer on Friday.Christened as ‘Garuthmaa’ and ‘Garudaa’, the ‘glide bombs’ are being indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Of these two drop trials, the test of Garudaa, the non-winged glide-bomb, was carried out to evaluate its precision for a range of 30 kilometres on Thursday. In another set of drop trials on Friday, both Garudaa and ‘Garuthmaa’ were successfully tested from a Su-30 MKI aircraft.
Garuthmaa, the 1,000-kg winged smart glide bomb, was tested for its maximum 100-km range. Top DRDO officials termed the tests as a ‘major success’.


Want to Read more .........

http://idrw.org/drdo-successfully-tests-two-new-30km-100km-glide-bombs-pokhran/

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Now thats some news............. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Prashant12]

DRDO Annual Report 2015
https://blog.mygov.in/ebooks/drdo/DRDO_Annual_Report.html

 

[cobra commando]

Narayana Murthy named Director of RCI, DRDO

BHVS Narayana Murthy

BHVS Narayana Murthy, an expert in Avionics has been appointed as Director, Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), Hyderabad. During the past three decades he has made contributions towards design, development and delivery of onboard computers, Missile launch processors, real-time mission software etc. He is an alumni of NIT, Warangal. For his contributions to various defence R&D projects, he won several awards and recognitions. The Astronautical Society of India Rocket and Related Technologies Award, AGNI Award for Excellence in Self Reliance as a team Leader, DRDO Scientist of the Year Award being some of them. The RCI is a premier DRDO laboratory of APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex spearheading the design, development and delivery of state-of-the-art Avionics Systems for entire Indian missile development programmes. The Avionics Systems (Onboard computers, Navigation, Control) developed under the leadership of Narayana Murthy has played a key role in the success of the Indian ICBM class Agni 5 and other missions, said a DRDO press release.

Narayana Murthy named Director of RCI, DRDO

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Construction on BEL's advanced night vision facility to begin

BENGALURU: State owned Bharat Electronics announced on Saturday that it will be setting up an advanced night vision products facility in Krishna District in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

The factory, which will be a major step in advanced electronic products production in India will be set up at Nimmaluru village near Machilipatnam and will be the largest such facility in the country once commissioned, covering an area of over 50 acres.

According to BEL, the new facility will be built in several stages with an estimated investment of about `300 crore over a four-year period.

“The new facility has been planned now to establish a state-of-the-art factory to cater to the futuristic requirements for Night Vision Products,” BEL CMD S K Sharma said in the BEL statement. adding that the public Sector undertaking’s venture is a significant step forward in building up indigenous development capacities of critical defence systems.

“BEL is coming up with a modern Defence Systems Integration Complex at Palasamudram in Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh to give further thrust to indigenous development and production of future defence systems,” Sharma said.

The factory will enable BEL to expand its Electro-Optics business and carry out manufacturing and integration for ongoing and upcoming projects, the company added.

The foundation stone laying ceremony for the facility is to be presided over by Union Minister for Urban Development and Information and Broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu on September 19, with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and top officials also present.

BEL is a state-owned aerospace and defence company with nine factories in India. It primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for the Indian Armed forces.

The Indian Army has been on a major modernisation drive, in which equipping soldiers with night vision capabilities have been at the forefront.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Govt to shut down 15 loss-making PSUs

PM instructed the Niti Aayog to involve relevant research institutions, and eminent experts in all aspects of planning for tribal areas.

New Delhi: The government has decided to shut down 15 loss-making public sector units, of which at least five have been cleared by the cabinet, while opting to go against internal advice and revive three state-run companies.

Sources told TOI that there were another half-a-dozen sick public sector companies, which had been identified by NITI Aayog for closure, but their fate remained uncertain amid hectic lobbying by ministries, which want to keep them alive in what may be an effort to protect their turf.

The petroleum ministry has opposed shutting down of HPCL Biofuels, while the textiles ministry has managed to elevate the issue of closure of ailing British India Corporation and Elgin Mills to the level of PMO. At least three pharma PSUs were referred to a panel of ministers, which has so far opted to not to close down Hindustan Antibiotics.

Following the heavy industry ministry successfully piloting a proposal to shut down some HMT arms and the shipping ministry getting the cabinet go-ahead for the closure of Central Inland Water Transport Corporation, the government had sought to suggest that it was serious about shutting down chronically loss-making PSUs, which were a drain on the exchequer. However, the plan is facing resistance from some of the administrative ministries.

After NITI Aayog submitted its recommendations, principal secretary to PM Nripendra Misra, who has been involved with the exercise, indicated that the government's keenness to move ahead on a path may not be politically popular. What is, however, strengthening the government's case is that these companies have not seen significant addition to manpower in recent years and existing employees are being given a liberal severance package.

"The winding up of (some of) these units, out of 74 loss-making PSUs identified by the NITI Aayog for closure or sell off, has received a go-ahead from PMO," said an official, adding that the list was finalised after several round of consultation held by Misra with respective ministries.

The NITI Aayog, tasked with preparing a roadmap for ailing PSUs, had submitted two separate lists of sick and loss-making PSUs — one comprising those that can be closed down and the other of those where government can divest its stake.

Out of 74, the Aayog had suggested status quo in case of two PSUs, strategic disinvestment of 10, plan for revival with option for strategic disinvestment for 22, transfer of ownership of six, merger of three, long term lease of five and closure of 26.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India's BEL Eyes Missile Integration Market

NEW DELHI — Indian defense electronics giant Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) plans to develop into a leading missile systems integrator within the next five years, according to the company's outgoing Chairman Sunil Kumar Sharma.

BEL is establishing a Defence Systems Integration Complex at Palasamudram in Andhra Pradesh in southern India with an investment of more than $120 million, Sharma said, adding that it will be country's largest missile systems integration facility where missile systems such as navigation, seeker, radar, fire control and guidance will be manufactured.

"The proposed complex will be a world-class facility with automated-guided vehicles and industrial robots for material movement and handling with state-of-the-art manufacturing infrastructure for radars and weapon systems integration," he said. "The facility at Palasamudram will enable BEL to expand its business and strengthen the country's capability for manufacturing and integration of upcoming projects in the area of surface-to-air missile systems and network-centric systems".

The complex will also have a state-of-art missile firing range facility.

BEL, however, is not planning to manufacture the missiles themselves. Instead, the company will focus on the development of electronics for missiles — in association with defense research and development laboratories — and build its technical expertise and infrastructure for the integration of missile systems.

Considering the large number of missile system programs in the area, BEL would benefit from diversification by taking on missile manufacturing — something that would require approval of the Indian government and collaboration with private industry if the opportunity arose, Sharma said.