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If there is no need to re discover the wheel, then why import the wheel? Why not try to make it inhouse?
Reason. The profit margin would come down drastically in such a scenario and gestation period would be too high. Example- DRDO WhAP/TATA Kestrel.
So the easiest way out is to partner a established firm and make profit with valuable outflow of money. From business point of view there is no problem, but when you talk from technical point of view, even after being in vehicle manufacturing, we are trying to reinvent wheel here from a foreign OEM.
We already have a platform in form of Casspir in operation. We could have learnt and worked on that in terms of design and metallurgy part. But .......
If OFB would have done the same, people would have drawn out sword. But when Kalyani is doing the same?
I am not against the deal here nor against the platform. But Baba turned out to be a disappointment for me. He too preferred screwdriver-giri instead of investing in R&D.
It will be made in-house by Kalyani?If there is no need to re discover the wheel, then why import the wheel? Why not try to make it inhouse?
We bought Cassipir, and then OFB made it into Aditya MPV, which is being operated in large numbers. I see this as a win-win.Reason. The profit margin would come down drastically in such a scenario and gestation period would be too high. Example- DRDO WhAP/TATA Kestrel.
So the easiest way out is to partner a established firm and make profit with valuable outflow of money. From business point of view there is no problem, but when you talk from technical point of view, even after being in vehicle manufacturing, we are trying to reinvent wheel here from a foreign OEM.
We already have a platform in form of Casspir in operation. We could have learnt and worked on that in terms of design and metallurgy part. But .......
If OFB would have done the same, people would have drawn out sword. But when Kalyani is doing the same?
Of course, if we start re-inventing the wheel, we might get breakthrough discoveries around it, file patents, and improve our manufacturing. But that is the work of DRDO Labs/Universities, and that takes time.
If we let Kalyani/Tata/Mahindra bring supply lines into India, set up manufacturing, and start producing here, there are numerous advantages apart from getting a proprietary technology/patent.
- We set up the necessary ecosystem in India for manufacturing armoured vehicles. For example, after some time, to push profit margins higher, Kalyani/Private manufacturers will turn to local vendors/in-house manufacturing for parts & raw material that are being imported.
- We not only generate jobs but train workforce & experts upon these technology & manufacturing. That is where you get skilled labour. This will also bud entrepreneurs trying to create a breakthrough in this field.
- We have the freedom to manufacture & modify according to our needs. Which is a big deal only some people realise. It also means we can choose to sell or ramp up production during our needs.
There are some ideal goals, and there are realistic goals. The ideal goal is we invent the APC platform from scratch, everything from metallurgy to the relaxed-stability suspension being our R&D. But that takes like 25-30 years and a lot of $$$.I am not against the deal here nor against the platform. But Baba turned out to be a disappointment for me. He too preferred screwdriver-giri instead of investing in R&D.
Realistic goals are, we buy/copy/steal/JV existing technology & try to make it in-house because our army needs them now, while trying our best to learn & improve upon it.