January 31, 2015: The Machilipatnam unit of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is registering growth in its overseas business with the rising demand for opto-electronic defence devices, developed and manufactured by it. The countries buying these products are primarily from the Asian and African continents. This demand is expected to facilitate the company in achieving its target of Rs 6 billion for the current financial year. Latest reports have revealed that Rs 4.5 billion to Rs 5 billion of turnover has already been achieved by BEL and the rest would be met easily considering the current demand for their products in the overseas market.
A rising demand for the opto-electronic products has already been sene in the last fiscal year as BEL had achieved a turnoverof Rs 4.5 billion in 2013-14 owing to the purchases made by countries like Sri Lanka, Sudan, Israel and a few other African nations. According to a report by The Hindu, M D Khaja, Assistant Engineer (Marketing), BEL, Machilipatnam unit, said, “The demand for night vision devices such as Passive Night Weapon Sight for INSAS/LMG/AK-47 weapons and Passive Night Vision Binoculars is high in these conflict-stricken countries.”
In a situation where the whole world is pressurised by the global terrorism outrage, M D Khaja clarified the main role that these products play. He said that these devices helped users calculate and pursue enemy objets from a certain distance. Khaja further said that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will also play its role in helping BEL to develop many more devices and to adapt new technologies that are required essentially to meet the needs of the Indian defence system.
M D Khaja also revealed that the International Marketing Division of the BEL, which is based in Bengaluru was the one who was entitled with the duty marketing the products in the overseas market. The Andhra Scientific Company, Machilipatnam, was taken over by BEL as its fourth manufacturing unit in India in 1983.
