Rajnath Singh on Tuesday inaugurated NIBE Limited’s major defence manufacturing facility in Shirdi and flagged off the first Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher System, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for defence self-reliance. The newly launched complex, regarded as one of the country’s largest private-sector defence investments, will manufacture artillery shells, rockets, drones, missile systems, explosives, and advanced autonomous defence platforms. Spread across 200 acres in Ahilyanagar district, the facility has the capacity to produce five lakh 155mm artillery shells annually, making it India’s biggest private artillery shell production unit.

The event was attended by Devendra Fadnavis, Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, senior government officials, military personnel, and industry representatives. Speaking at the inauguration, Rajnath Singh called the project a “golden chapter” in India’s defence manufacturing journey, highlighting that modern warfare increasingly depends on technology, automation, and precision-guided systems rather than troop strength alone. Referring to global conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions in West Asia, and India’s Operation Sindoor, Singh stressed the growing importance of advanced indigenous defence technologies.

Built with an investment exceeding ₹3,000 crore, the complex is expected to create thousands of jobs and strengthen the local industrial ecosystem. During the event, NIBE also showcased the Suryastra Rocket Launcher System, capable of striking targets at ranges of 150 km and 300 km. The system was recently tested successfully at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, demonstrating high precision. The Indian Army has already placed emergency procurement orders for launcher vehicles, battery command units, and loader vehicles associated with the Suryastra platform, underlining its operational importance.

The Defence Minister laid the foundation stone for a dedicated missile complex linked to the Suryastra system. He also unveiled indigenous TNT and RDX production technologies, along with a renewable compressed biogas facility aimed at integrating clean energy solutions with defence manufacturing. An MoU signed between NIBE Group and BlackSky will support collaboration in satellite assembly and expand the complex into space-based defence technologies.

Rajnath Singh noted that India, once heavily dependent on arms imports, is steadily emerging as a defence exporter. He expressed confidence that initiatives like the Shirdi complex could help India become one of the world’s leading defence exporters over the next few decades. He further praised NIBE Group’s leadership, stating that the project would support MSMEs, strengthen local industries, and contribute significantly to economic growth. The event also highlighted the government’s defence reforms encouraging private-sector participation and promoting indigenous technologies to ensure strategic independence and long-term resilience.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian Defence News.