Ordnance Factory Board aims to create self-suffiency in defence production

KOLKATA: Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has drawn up plans to make India self-sufficient in production of arms and ammunition with the twin objectives of reducing imports and meeting nation's requirements.

"We are creating added capacities in the production of T-90 tanks and Pinaka rockets at the various ordnance factories", S K Chowrasia, member, OFB, said.

Chowrasia, who is slated to assume the office of chairman of the board from December one, told PTI that work was also on to create additional anti-tank ammunition capacity under Project Mango in technical collaboration with Russia.

The OFB had also started production of Bimodular Charge Systems (propellants) at its factory at Nalanda for high-calibre artillery guns, Dhanush and Bofors, with the objective to meet the country's demand, he said.

The country was facing a shortage in the availability of such propellants, he said.

Regarding exports, he said that the board had received an order from the UAE worth Rs 235 crore for the supply of 155 mm shells.

OFB had been exporting to the countries of South Asia, Indonesia, Germany and US and the approximate export turnover was Rs 50 crore.

"While we do export to some extent, the primary objective is to meet the nation's demand", he said on the occasion of Ordance Factory Day.

This fiscal, the board was expected to register an approximate revenue of Rs 15,000 crore as against Rs 13,500 crore in the previous period.

The projected turnover next fiscal had been pegged at Rs 20,000 crore.

OFB had also undertaken designing of Future Infantry Combat Vehicle for the Indian Army in collaboration with the IITs.