Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex in Shirdi, Maharashtra, emphasizing it as a significant stride towards India's self-reliance in defense production, crucial for future military readiness. The complex, which includes an artillery shell manufacturing unit with an annual capacity of five lakh shells and a Universal Rocket Launching System missile complex, is designed to enhance India's future warfare capabilities with indigenous technology, exemplified by the Suryastra Rocket Launcher System. Singh highlighted that such manufacturing hubs are not merely production sites but also research centers for advanced explosives and next-generation weapons, and that India is actively pursuing indigenization in areas like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the drone sector. He also underscored the role of policy reforms, including liberalized FDI, the strategic partnership model, and initiatives like i-DEX, in boosting private sector involvement, which currently contributes 25-30% to defense production, with a target of 50%. Furthermore, the complex will support satellite assembling capabilities through a contract with BlackSky and include a renewable compressed biogas plant, marking a comprehensive development across the defense and space ecosystems, while also creating employment for MSMEs and local industries.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex in Shirdi, Maharashtra, emphasizing it as a significant stride towards India's self-reliance in defense production, crucial for future military readiness. The complex, which includes an artillery shell manufacturing unit with an annual capacity of five lakh shells and a Universal Rocket Launching System missile complex, is designed to enhance India's future warfare capabilities with indigenous technology, exemplified by the Suryastra Rocket Launcher System. Singh highlighted that such manufacturing hubs are not merely production sites but also research centers for advanced explosives and next-generation weapons, and that India is actively pursuing indigenization in areas like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the drone sector. He also underscored the role of policy reforms, including liberalized FDI, the strategic partnership model, and initiatives like i-DEX, in boosting private sector involvement, which currently contributes 25-30% to defense production, with a target of 50%. Furthermore, the complex will support satellite assembling capabilities through a contract with BlackSky and include a renewable compressed biogas plant, marking a comprehensive development across the defense and space ecosystems, while also creating employment for MSMEs and local industries.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex in Shirdi, Maharashtra, emphasizing it as a significant stride towards India's self-reliance in defense production, crucial for future military readiness. The complex, which includes an artillery shell manufacturing unit with an annual capacity of five lakh shells and a Universal Rocket Launching System missile complex, is designed to enhance India's future warfare capabilities with indigenous technology, exemplified by the Suryastra Rocket Launcher System. Singh highlighted that such manufacturing hubs are not merely production sites but also research centers for advanced explosives and next-generation weapons, and that India is actively pursuing indigenization in areas like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the drone sector. He also underscored the role of policy reforms, including liberalized FDI, the strategic partnership model, and initiatives like i-DEX, in boosting private sector involvement, which currently contributes 25-30% to defense production, with a target of 50%. Furthermore, the complex will support satellite assembling capabilities through a contract with BlackSky and include a renewable compressed biogas plant, marking a comprehensive development across the defense and space ecosystems, while also creating employment for MSMEs and local industries.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday declared that the newly inaugurated NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex in Maharashtra's Shirdi was an important step in India's push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

The defence minister was speaking at an inauguration ceremony for the Shirdi defence hub, where he explained that self-reliance in critical military technologies was an important part of a country's readiness for future tensions.

He later explored the entire facility alongside Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and flagged off the Suryastra Rocket Launcher System from the site.

“The biggest difference in future wars will not depend on how many soldiers you have, but on how advanced and capable your country is in terms of munition and automation ... India also demonstrated this strength during Operation Sindoor,” Singh said at the ceremony.

He also pointed out how the new defence plants being inaugurated were not just production units, but full-fledged production and research hubs, where "work will be done on advanced explosives and next generation weapons".

Citing the development of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and India's drone sector as other important steps towards maximum indigenisation, Singh noted that the defence ministry was taking all possible steps towards India's goal of becoming a leader in munitions and automated systems.

He then spoke of reducing India's dependence on foreign defence manufacturing, which was a risk to both the economy and the security of the country.

In that regard, Singh pointed out how a slew of carefully planned policy reforms had played a major role in boosting private sector involvement in indigenous defence manufacturing.

"Policy reforms were introduced, FDI was liberalised, the strategic partnership model was implemented, Positive Indigenisation Lists were brought in and schemes like i-DEX, ADITI and TDF encouraged young innovators,” he said.

He explained that these reforms led to the private sector contributing to 25-30 per cent of India's defence production—huge steps towards the target of 50 per cent in the coming years.

On the NIBE defence complex in Shirdi

According to the defence minister, the artillery shell manufacturing unit inaugurated in Shirdi would have an annual production capacity of 5 lakh shells, while the Universal Rocket Launching System missile complex would boost India’s future warfare capabilities.

“Equipped with indigenous technology, this rocket system will multiply the striking capability of our armed forces and prove to be a game changer strategically. The Suryaastra emerging from here will be enough to bring sunset to the plans of our enemies,” he noted, as per a Times of India report.

The minister added that the contract with BlackSky would support satellite assembling capabilities for India’s private space sector—an important step towards self-reliance in this sector too.

A renewable compressed biogas plant with a capacity of 15 tonnes per day will also be established at the site.

“From the earth to the sky, from artillery shells to satellites, today is a very important day for our entire defence and space ecosystem,” Singh said, lauding the positive impact of the NIBE in employment generation for MSMEs, ancillary units, and local industries in Shirdi.

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