Reliance Defence bags 16 industrial licences for missiles, equipment

Reliance Defence on Thursday said it has received 16 industrial licences for the manufacture of a wide array of high technology equipment that include small arms, heavy weapons, armoured vehicles, ammunition, explosives, electronic warfare systems and missiles.

"Of the 16 new licences given to Reliance Defence Ltd, 11 pertain to Land Systems, 3 for the Naval Systems and remaining 2 covering niche technologies across the Defence spectrum," the company said in a statement.

The Land Systems include design, development and production of heavy weapons, Electronic Warfare Systems, ammunition, explosives, tanks, Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV), Directed Energy Weapon Systems, Small Arms Laser Systems for target destruction and C4I Systems for various Land Platforms, Reliance Defence, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Infrastruture said.

The company said Reliance Land Systems Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Defence Ltd, will be the lead venture for the manufacturing of missiles, explosives heavy weapons, tanks and ICVs and Reliance SED Ltd will be the lead entity for manufacture of Electronic Warfare Systems, Directed Energy Weapon systems and Laser Systems for target destruction.

"The key programmes in these segments have budgetary allocation in excess of Rs 50,000 crore. The Indian Army will spend an additional Rs 50,000 crore over next 10 to 15 years on different Combat Vehicles," the company said.