Tembo Defence Accelerates Indigenous Small Arms Manufacturing Under Make i

Tembo Defence, the defence manufacturing arm of Tembo Classic Engineering Ltd., is emerging as a high-impact player in India’s defence ecosystem, driven by innovation, precision engineering, and a strong commitment to mission-critical performance. The company delivers advanced defence solutions to armed forces and law enforcement agencies, with a focus on reliability, durability, and real-world operational effectiveness. Every product is developed and tested to meet stringent international standards, reflecting Tembo’s emphasis on quality and engineering excellence.

Under the leadership of Sanjay J. Patel, Managing Director, Tembo Defence combines four decades of industrial expertise with a strong execution-driven leadership team, aligned with the Government of India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. Tembo Defence is focused on building indigenous manufacturing capabilities that reduce import dependence while producing globally competitive defence products from India. The company is scaling up manufacturing to address both domestic requirements of the Indian armed forces and export markets, supported by strong regulatory compliance and quality assurance frameworks.
As part of its defence expansion, Tembo Defence is establishing advanced manufacturing capabilities for small arms and ammunition in India. The company’s product portfolio includes pistols, carbines, assault rifles, light machine guns, sub-machine guns, and ammunition, developed through global technology partnerships. A Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement with an Austrian defence company, subject to applicable export control and regulatory approvals, coupled with a 100% export buyback arrangement, ensures assured offtake and positions Tembo as a reliable supplier to international markets.

In a landmark development, Tembo signed a MoU with the Government of Maharashtra at the World Economic Forum, Davos, under which MIDC has allocated 100 acres in Amravati for a ₹1,000 crore arms and ammunition manufacturing facility. The project will house Maharashtra’s first handgun manufacturing unit, with operations expected to commence by September. The facility will initially produce 15,000 pistols per annum, scalable to 30,000 units annually, along with an ammunition manufacturing capacity of 12 crore bullets per year over the next two years. Phase I investment stands at ₹700 crore, followed by ₹300 crore in subsequent phases, and is expected to generate significant local employment while strengthening India’s defence manufacturing infrastructure.


The company’s leadership framework emphasises governance, operational discipline, and execution rigour, supported by a professional management team with deep functional expertise. Together, this structure enables Tembo to pursue its manufacturing and growth priorities in alignment with quality standards and national initiatives such as Make in India.

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