Bharat Dynamics Limited to set up Rs 400 crore unit in defence corridor in Jhansi

LUCKNOW: Bharat Dynamics Limited, the only defence public sector company in the country that manufactures missiles and underwater weapons for the armed forces, will be setting up a manufacturing unit in Jhansi with an investment of Rs 400 crore in phase-1. The company signed an MoU with the state government through UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority for the investment in the state’s upcoming defence corridor.
Under the MoU, the BDL will acquire 250 hectare land in Jhansi under a lease agreement for an initial period of 30 years, which will be extendable to up to 90 years.
UPEIDA CEO Awanish Awasthi said that the setting up of a manufacturing unit will give a boost to further investment and development of infrastructure in the defence corridor.
BDL CMD Commodore (Retd) Siddharth Mishra said that the company would be manufacturing propulsion systems in the Jhansi unit that would be used for various types of missiles manufactured by the company.
“This is an important step towards the implementation of the integration plan for strengthening the capability to deliver world class weapon systems to customers. We are planning to commence operations at this facility by 2023,” he said.
The Jhansi node will be the company’s sixth unit and the first one in north India. At present, BDL has four units, three of which are located in Telangana and one in Andhra Pradesh. It has also acquired land in Amravati in Maharashtra to set up its fifth unit.
BDL has already exported lightweight torpedoes and will soon start the export of other products in its portfolio like the Akash Surface to Air missile, Counter Measure Systems and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles.
“The company is also extending technical support to its vendors by providing test facilities available with it. BDL is also planning to establish a facility in UPDIC for testing requirements under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme of the Ministry of Defence,” said a government spokesperson.