Giridhar Aramane's BEL & AVNL Visit Shows Progress of India's Indigenous Defence Ecosystem

Chennai: Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane's recent visit to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Chennai and Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) in Avadi  depicted the critical role of indigenous weapon systems in India's defence landscape and the Nation's growing ecosystem facilitating it.

Top 3 Highlights from Defence Secretary’s visit to DPSUs on Tuesday

• The Defense Secretary's recent visit to BEL and Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) pointed out the importance of indigenous weapon systems in India's defence scene.
• Aramane urged BEL stakeholders to improve production and efficiency, focusing on the need for capacity building for MSMEs.
• At AVNL, Aramane underlined the necessity of adhering to global manufacturing standards and maintaining high-quality products, as well as supporting research and development to boost indigenous efforts and overall competitiveness.

Armane Urges BEL Stakeholders to Boost Productivity and Efficiency

Aramane, accompanied by BEL's Chairman and Managing Director Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, delved into the operations of the facility, lauding its research and manufacturing capabilities. Stressing the significance of BEL's contribution to the Make in India initiative, he asked the stakeholders to increase productivity and efficiency while also addressing the need for capacity development among MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).

Adherence to Maintaining ‘Top Tier’ Manufacturing: Armane

At AVNL's corporate office and production facilities, including the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) and Engine Factory Avadi (EFA), the Defense Secretary reiterated the importance of adhering to global manufacturing standards and maintaining ‘top-tier’ quality. In discussions with AVNL's CMD, Sanjay Dwivedi, Aramane urged for a focus on research and development to encourage new product initiatives and drive indigenous efforts to enhance overall competitiveness.

Further, during his tour of the HVF, Aramane visited various production shops, including the Main Battle Tank Arjun Shop, the General Assembly Shop, the Hull Shop, and the Transmission Shop, gaining insights into the manufacturing processes of more respective individuals at AVNL. 

Armane’s visit also added to the government’s sustainability commitment, as he participated in a tree plantation ceremony following his visit.

During the Defence Secretaries visit, EFA put forth its growing capabilities in tank engine manufacturing and overhauling and how it moved towards complete indigenisation of engines for armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), such as the T-72, T-90, and Indian BMP-II variants.