New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s office on Thursday late night informed that PM Modi will inaugurate seven new defense companies and dedicate them to the nation on the occasion of Vijayadashami around noon on Friday.
The government has decided to convert the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) from a department into seven fully government-owned corporate entities to improve self-reliance on the country’s defense preparedness, PMO said in a statement.
According to PM Office, The seven new defense companies that have been incorporated will be Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVANI), Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWE India), Munitions India Limited (MIL), Yantra India Limited (YIL), India Optel Limited (IOL), and Gliders India Limited (GIL).
There are now four-gun production hubs in five states in the country. Firms like L&T, Tata Advanced Systems, and Bharat Forge have set up gun production lines within the country to compete with the erstwhile monopoly, state-owned ordnance factories.
The army’s DG (artillery), Lt General TK Chawla, had earlier said that the Army was ‘hand holding’ the domestic industry to ensure indigenous projects like the Advanced Towed Array Gun System and the OFB-produced Dhanush howitzer meet their requirements. This year, as part of its defense indigenization drive, the Ministry of Defence banned the imports of 155 mm howitzers after December 2021. The army will have no choice but to turn to the indigenous gun industry.
The seven new companies are expected to provide a boost to the defense sector in the country. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and representatives from the defense industry associations will be present at the launch of the companies.
This corporatization of companies will enhance autonomy and efficiency and will unleash new growth potential and innovation, PMO said. There have been crucial developments in the indigenous artillery sector over the last decade.
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(_Vinayak Barot)
