India Opens Missile, Ammunition Production To Private Sector For Self-Reliance In Defence
The move would allow the private sector to manufacture 105 mm, 130 mm, 150 mm artillery shells, Pinaka missiles, 1000 pound bombs, mortar bombs, hand grenades, and medium and small caliber ammunition. The decision was allegedly taken given the recent Operation Sindoor and the potential long-term stand-off as long-range conventional missiles and stand-off weapons will be in demand.
The missile sector has been opened to private players as Operation Sindoor has shown that the future belongs to stand-off weapons and long-range conventional missiles, the people cited above said. BDL and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under DRDO are the sole manufacturers of missiles and surface-to-air missile systems such as Akash, Astra, Konkurs, Milan and also of torpedos.
An amendment has been made to the Revenue Procurement Manual (RPM) that removes the mandatory requirement for any private entity involved in manufacturing of bombs and ammunition to seek a no-objection certificate (NOC) from state-owned defense company Munitions India Limited (MIL) before setting up an ammunition unit, Hindustan Times reported citing sources.
The defense ministry has also written to the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) expressing its plan to open up the development and integration of missiles to the private sector, as firms such as state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) alone cannot cater to the requirements of the Indian armed forces.
During the recent escalation between the two neighboring countries, Pakistan used long-range Chinese air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and rockets. This made India realize the need to involve private firms to cooperate in conventional missile development with strategic missile development under the sole purview of DRDO.
