Adani Defence launches South Asia’s largest ammunition, missiles facilities in Kanpur

Adani Defence and Aerospace, a part of Gautam Adani-led Adani group, on Monday launched two mega facilities to manufacture ammunition and missiles in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Spread over 500 acres, the facility is going to be one of the largest integrated ammunition manufacturing complexes in South Asia.

The Adani group company plans to invest over ₹3,000 crore in the facilities, which are expected to create around 4,000 jobs, with five times the multiplier effect on MSMEs and the local ecosystem benefiting from it indirectly, it says in a release.

The facilities will produce high-quality small, medium and large calibre ammunition for the armed forces, paramilitary forces and police. The facility has started rolling out small calibre ammunition, starting with 150 million rounds estimated at 25% of India’s annual requirement, the release notes.

“These cutting-edge facilities, which are first of their kind in the private sector in India, will provide a significant impetus to the nation’s self-reliance and technological advancement in defence,” Adani Defence says in the release.

The facilities were inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the presence of senior dignitaries from Ministry of Defence and the state government. The unveiling of the facilities coincided with the fifth anniversary of the Balakot airstrike ‘Operation Bandar’, a historic operation by the Indian Air Force that was a testimony to India’s strategic assertiveness over external threats.

“The facility is a testimony to Uttar Pradesh’s transformation into an industrial powerhouse and our commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Adani Defence & Aerospace has made the largest investment in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor, which will play a crucial role in developing a vibrant defence ecosystem,” says UP CM.

“It is encouraging to see the commencement of operations within 18 months of allocating land. It will be a proud moment when ammunition and missiles produced in these facilities will help in securing the nation,” adds Yogi Adityanath.

Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence & Aerospace, says the establishment of these ammunition and missiles complexes represents a leap forward in the company’s quest for self reliance. “With a planned investment of over ₹3,000 crore, its impact extends far beyond the defence sector. It will create over 4,000 jobs, with five times the multiplier effect on MSMEs and the local ecosystem benefiting from it indirectly. We are committed to ensuring that our efforts are inclusive and sustainable, fostering growth while preserving the environment for generations to come,” states Rajvanshi.

As per the company, the ammunition complex started operations in less than two years of its announcement by the Adani Group during the Uttar Pradesh Investors’ Summit in 2022. In 2022, Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Authority (UPIDA) had signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Adani Aerospace and Defence and other companies to develop Kanpur as South Asia's largest manufacturing facility for arms and ammunition.

“An industry 4.0 facility, it has state of the art automation ensuring highest standards in quality, safety and reliability using artificial intelligence and data analytics. Further, being a PESO certified complex, it will also house explosive handling facilities for missiles and precision-guided munitions,” the release highlights.

Adani Defence and Aerospace is the flagship defence company of the Adani Group. It is also focused on developing and offering unique capabilities across the unmanned segment, counter drones, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies and cyber defence.

Last month, Adani Defence launched its indigenously manufactured Drishti 10 Starliner Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to the Indian Navy. Drishti 10 Starliner is an advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform with 36 hours endurance and 450 kg payload capacity.