“The defence export markets are opening up and we hope that at some point in time, we will become a supplier to the US Army, the French Army, the British Army, and other global armed forces. The whole defence story for us is yet to be played out,” said Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge Ltd.
He added that all countries, including European nations, are facing a major shortage of defence hardware and manufacturing. “They have the technology. But there is a big shortage of manufacturing.”
To cater to the growing demand for defence equipment, the Kalyani Group has set up a new plant in Jejuri.
Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge Ltd, established as the flagship company to drive its defence business initiatives.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Kalyani said, “We have started with two major products — one is artillery guns. It is very strange that we exported artillery guns to Europe even before we started supplying to the Indian Army. Last year, we supplied 100 guns to European countries. This year, there is a lot of opportunity worldwide. Our aim is to become the largest artillery producer, hopefully by 2030.”
He added that India’s artillery modernisation plan was announced 15 years ago and 4,500 artillery guns need to be modernised. The process has now started.
He added that the second part of project was to manufacture protected vehicles which are being used in Africa and India.
Export Market
Kalyani said, With AI and digital technology, we are able to speed up the development of products. The time required from concept to product has been reduced to half. We have got unmanned systems underground, in the air and underwater.”
He said that many countries across the world are looking at the company’s products, and hence exports will continue. “Last year, our exports accounted for 90 per cent of our sales, and this year, 80 per cent of sales will be exports.
New Plant
Baba Kalyani added that the Russia-Ukraine war has brought to the fore the importance of artillery. “
Amit Kalyani, Vice-Chairman and Joint Managing Director at Bharat Forge, said that to fulfill both new and existing orders, the company has started the new plant.
The t 3 lakh sq. ft. defence manufacturing unit in Jejuri, near Pune is a world-class facility, designed with a multi-model flexible layout and integrated testing capabilities, and will serve as a crucial hub for indigenous artillery systems and specialist defence vehicles, reinforcing India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence production under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
Strategically located with highway connectivity, proximity to key suppliers, access to a highly skilled talent pool within a dynamic local ecosystem, the Jejuri plant is set to drive India’s next phase of defence manufacturing excellence. The facility is equipped to manufacture a diverse range of advanced defence systems, and gradually become a hub for all major product manufacturing.
Bharat Forge invested in this facility anticipating large-scale defence contracts from both domestic and international markets. The facility will be manufacturing orders from India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) of indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS). These cutting-edge 155 mm howitzers will significantly enhance India’s artillery firepower and safeguard its vast borders. Additionally, Bharat Forge has already begun exporting these advanced artillery systems to friendly nations following approvals from the MoD and relevant authorities.
