New Delhi: The department of indu-strial policy and promotion (DIPP) has approved 12 industrial licenses to Anil Ambani led Reliance Defence for manufacture of wide range of defence equipment required by the armed forces.
Reliance Defence is a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Limited.
DIPP has approved these licenses to the strategic business units (SBU) under Reliance Defence to address defence programs in India and overseas. The foray of Reliance into these areas will give added traction to the government’s initiative for Make in India and skill India initiatives, said market sources.
In the aerospace segment, with licences for manufacture of military aircraft and helicopters, market experts said that the company will be looking at addressing the amphibious aircraft requirement of the Indian Navy pegged at Rs 9,000 crore, light utility helicopters, an opportunity valued at more than Rs 20,000 crore. In addition, there is a requirement of 160-200 medium to heavy helicopter, valued at Rs 50,000 crore.
For the naval systems, Reliance is focusing on key systems as is evident from the licences for air independent propulsion technology and hull penetrators and connectors along with motor shafts and propulsion systems, said market experts.
Reliance Naval Systems is already working on C4I, underwater systems, weapons, radars and electro optic systems. Indian Navy has ambitious plans of inducting new vessels under different programs amounting to Rs 300,000 crore.
Typically, systems contribute 50 to 60 per cent of the cost in case of Naval warships. It also plans to target the global market of Rs 50,000 crore for Night Vision Devices and surveillance devices.
