Nagpur: From a mere Rs81 crore in 2019-20, when they were still a govt department under the ministry of defence, exports by ordnance factories post corporatisation went up by more than 81 times, touching Rs4,500 crore as of 2025-26, said defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.Production of all seven PSUs carved out of the ordnance factories clubbed together has grown more than double, crossing Rs26,000 crore in 2025-26 as against Rs12,700 crore during pre-corporatisation times, said the minister. Singh said corporatisation of the ordnance factories was a strategic measure for ensuring enhanced performance and autonomy in the units, which is now showing results.In 2021, the 41 ordnance factories that earlier came under the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) were made into seven defence public sector undertakings (PSUs). One of them is Nagpur-based Yantra India Ltd. Once a PSU, the erstwhile factories have to achieve financial self-sufficiency. This has led the newly formed PSUs search explore overseas markets. YIL’s exports stand at Rs 397 crore.On the overall performance, the minister said, in 2014 the value of countries total defence production stood at Rs36,000 crore, which has now reached Rs1.78 lakh crore as on 2025-26. The exports have grown 40 times from Rs1,000 crore to Rs40,000 crore. The figures include volumes posted by all the other entities, including ordnance factories.Singh said despite the fast-changing technologies, the importance of conventional weapons shall always remain. The systems that were used in 1947 would still be needed even in 2047, said the minister, stressing the need for achieving knowledge-based and self-sufficiency in the defence sector.Singh was in the city to attend the groundbreaking of a new 10,000-tonne extrusion plant proposed to be set up at Ordnance Factory Ambajhari (OFAJ), entailing an investment of Rs850 crore. OFAJ is the flagship unit of YIL. Among the first of its kind of initiatives, high-grade metal made in the plant will lead to indigenisation of a certain key material that is now being imported by aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and other PSUs.The proposed plant will supply high-grade aluminium that would not only be used in the manufacturing of fighter planes by HAL, but would also cater to the PSUs — Mazgaon Docks Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited and even Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).YIL, which makes shells of various ranges, is also fast expanding towards aerospace through tie-ups with other companies like HAL for supply of high-grade material.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said Nagpur and the area around it is developing as a strong ecosystem for the defence manufacturing industry. Operation Sindoor has proven that enemies cannot mess with India. In a very short time, India has established itself as an exporter of defence items, leaving the entire world in awe.
