Anil Ambani chairman of Pipavav Defence after RInfra takes control

MUMBAI: Reliance Infrastructure has completed the takeover of management control of recently acquired Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Co and appointed Anil Ambani as the chairman, the Reliance Group company said in a statement Monday.

Reliance Infrastructure holds 36.5% of the equity in Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering and is in the process of renaming it Reliance Defence.

The statement said that the defence company is in the process of various stages of bidding for projects worth Rs 1,80,000 crore.

Retired Vice Admiral H S Malhi has been appointed as a whole-time director and chief executive officer of the company. He served Indian Navy for 36 years and was also the chairman and managing director of Mazagon Dock.

The company has also appointed retired Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major and retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain as independent directors.

Recently, the company has signed an agreement with Russia's manufacturer of Air Defence Missile Systems, AlmazAntey, to work jointly on a range of air defence missile and radar systems for the Indian defence forces. Reliance Group has also signed a deal with the Russian United Shipbuilding Company for warships.