Munitions India Limited (MIL) is an Indian state-owned defence company, headquartered in Pune, India, established in 2021 as part of the restructuring and corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board into seven different Public Sector Undertakings.[1][2][3] Munitions India primarily manufactures ammunition, explosives, rockets and bombs for the use of the Indian Armed Forces, foreign militaries and domestic civilian use.
 | |
| Company type | Public Sector Undertaking |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defence Production |
| Predecessor | Ordnance Factory Board |
| Founded | 1 October 2021 |
| Headquarters | Ammunition Factory Khadki, , |
Key people | Debashish Banerjee, IOFS (Chairman & Managing Director) & (Director Operations) D Bannerjee, IOFS (Director Finance) |
| Products | |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Divisions |
|
| Website | https://munitionsindia.in |
The budget allocated for MIL has seen increase in 2020s. The defence PSU was allocated a budget of Rs 577 crore in FY2023, Rs. 580 crore in FY2024 (RE) and Rs 745.45 crore in FY2025, highest among the seven defence PSUs. This is a part of infrastructure modernisation plan and in order to increase the war reserves of the Indian Armed Forces to sustain long-drawn wars. The sum is to be invested in modernising equipment, increasing production capacity and including new manufacturing lines for ammunition of 30mm and 40mm grenade launchers.[4]
Products
editSome notable products of Munitions India include:[5]
- Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher
- Hand Grenade
- High Speed Low Drag Bomb
- FSAPDS
- Shivalik Multi Mode Hand Grenade (MMHG)
- 155 mm High Explosive Extended Range Full Bore (Boat Tail) shell
- Maindeka Naval Mine
- Air to Ground 1000 lb bombs (High Explosive, Thermobaric[6])
- 68 mm Air to Ground Rockets (HE, HC and Training rounds)
- Mortar Bombs (81 mm, 51 mm)
- Large Caliber Ammunition
- Medium Caliber Ammunition
- Small Caliber Ammunition (20 mm rounds for anti-materiel rifle, 14.5×114mm, 7.62 x 51 mm, 7.62 x 54 mmR, 5.56 x 45 mm, 9×19 mm)
Under Development
editRamjet Propelled Artillery Shell
editAs of February 2020, IIT Madras, in partnership with IIT Kanpur, Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI), is working on redesigning an existing 155 mm shell using ramjet propulsion that can cover 60 km range. It will be made compatible with Haubits FH77, Dhanush, K9 Vajra-T and DRDO ATAGS. The shell will incorporate a Precision Guidance Kit for trajectory correction. IIT Madras will ensure that Munitions India can manufacture the shells. Prototype is expected to be developed within three to fove years as the design was ready. As pf then, many technologies were proven already and further facilities for lab and prototype testing woulld be required like advanced wind tunnel.[7]
155 mm Smart Artillery Shell
editReports emerged in February 2024, that Munitions India Limited along with Indian Institute of Technology Madras is developing the first 155 mm Smart Ammunition for the Indian Army Regiment of Artillery. The developmental time is about 2 years. The goal of this partnership is to improve artillery shell accuracy and lethality at the time of terminal impact. The munitions can be launched from 155 mm 39- and 45-calibre guns including Dhanush and DRDO ATAGS. The shells will can achieve a Circular Error Probability (CEP) of 10 m (33 ft) against the current conventional ammunitions 500 m (1,600 ft) CEP, a 50 times improvement. This will require housing of cutting-edge technologies such as miniature electronics and sensors with guidance, navigation, and control systems. The 155 mm Smart Ammunition shells will primarily utilize NavIC satellite guidance to increase accuracy and have a GPS-back up option. In order to meet different tactical needs, the 155 mm Smart Ammunition is made to work with current artillery guns and has sophisticated characteristics including fin stabilization, canard control, and a three-mode fuse operation.[8] A minimum range of 8 km and a maximum range of 38 km are anticipated. In addition, this Smart shell has three different explosion modes: delayed, height of burst, and point detonation.[9][10][11][12]
Exports
editThe UAE purchased 40,000 and 50,000 155 mm artillery ammunition in 2017 and 2019, respectively. In 2017 and 2019, the order was valued at approximately $40 million and $46 million, respectively. The known buyers of 155 mm shells have been the United Arab Emirates and Armenia. Unidentified European nation—likely Poland or Slovenia—just bought the artillery munitions, as per reports in February 2024.[13][14]
Videos from Ukraine have recently surfaced, showing the artillery ammunition manufactured in India being used by Ukrainian forces in Russo-Ukrainian War. Social media posts in both Russian and Ukrainian languages reported what seemed to be Indian 155mm artillery shells likely falling into Ukraine. It was rumored that the weaponry consisted of MIL-produced HE ERFB BT shells.[13][15]
MIL and its partner, Nadrah Company, inked a $225 million deal at World Defense Show 2024 to provide artillery ammunition to Saudi Arabia.[16]
As of March 2024, Munitions India has export orders worth ₹6,000 crore, to be supplied till 2026-27. The leading customers are UAE, Vietnam and one undisclosed country from Europe.[17]
In FY 2023-24, about Rs. 2,000 crores (i.e. 28.5%) of contracts of MIL was from export orders. The total business for the same time period was of Rs. 7,000 crore by value.[4]
See also
edit- Other PSUs formed from Ordnance Factory Board:-
- Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWE), Kanpur
- Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVANI), Chennai
- Gliders India Limited (GIL), Kanpur
- India Optel Limited (IOL), Dehradun
- Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), Kanpur
- Yantra India Limited (YIL), Nagpur
References
edit- ^ Roche, Elizabeth (15 October 2021). "New defence PSUs will help India become self-reliant: PM". mint. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Seven new defence companies, carved out of OFB, dedicated to the Nation on the occasion of Vijayadashami". Ministry of Defence (India). Press Information Bureau. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ Pubby, Manu (12 October 2021). "Modi to launch seven new PSUs this week, Defence Ministry approves Rs 65,000-crore orders". The Economic Times. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ a b Singh, Dalip (25 July 2024). "Govt's capital infusion into MIL a sign for scaling-up explosive manufacturing capabilities to meet long-drawn war challenges". The Hindu Businessline. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Products « MIL". munitionsindia.in. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
- ^ "Aero India 2023: Munitions India to start mass producing 1,000 lb thermobaric bombs". Janes.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ MP, Sidharth (21 February 2020). "IIT-M working on next-gen Ramjet-powered 155mm artillery shells for Indian Army". WION. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "IIT Madras to spearhead development of India's first Indigenous 155mm Smart Ammunition". The Economic Times. 6 February 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "IIT Madras to develop smart ammunition | Indian Institute of Technology Madras". www.iitm.ac.in. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ MP, Sidharth (5 February 2024). "IIT-M and Munitions India to develop smart ammo for 155mm artillery guns". WION. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
- ^ Bisht, Inder Singh (9 February 2024). "India Announces Maiden Precision Artillery Round Development". The Defense Post. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ "IIT Madras to develop smart ammunition". The Hindu. 5 February 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Munitions India Bags Largest Export Order From Saudi Arabia; To Supply 155MM Artillery Shells Worth $225M". The EurAsian Times. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Pubby, Manu (3 August 2019). "In its largest ever export order, OFB to supply 50,000 Bofors shells to UAE". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (5 January 2024). "Russia flags supply of India-made 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "MIL inks $225-million ammunition contract with Saudi Arabia government". BusinessLine. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Ramesh, M. (5 March 2024). "Ammunitions maker Munitions India's export orders swell to ₹6,000 crore". BusinessLine. Retrieved 6 March 2024.