L&T and Bharat Forge to tie-up with Isro, DRDO for several key projects

TIRUPATI: For the first time, top honchos of two big-ticket Indian firms — L&T and Bharat Forge —spoke of their collaboration with the academia and two premier organisations, Isro and DRDO, for fruition of several key projects as ideal examples to script a success story of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Mr Jayant Patil, senior vice-president and head of defence and aerospace, L&T, and Mr Baba N Kalyani, chairman and MD, Bharat Forge, who addressed a session on Industry-Academia interaction at the 104th edition of Indian Science Congress, explained the contribution of the academia, their respective organisations, and defence and aerospace experts, in design and roll out of key systems and products.

Mr Baba Kalyani said his companies would, with help from IIT, Chennai, attempt to build an indigenous jet engine soon. This small engine could be used to power unmanned aerial vehicles, auxiliary power units and short range missiles. A special lab to design this jet engine will be established shortly. An advanced towed artillery gun with a range of 42 km, designed and developed for DRDO within two and half years, well ahead of the deadline of three years, completed test firing in six hours instead of three days.