BEL’s defence corridor project is a route which will be housing productions of defence equipment to boost the defence force
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will be setting up its manufacturing unit as part of Uttar Pradesh’s defence industrial project. The creation of a defence industrial corridor in the state to accelerate the defence force’s equipment production was first announced in February this year.
Over 5000 hectares are slated in the allotment for the manufacturing unit across six districts in UP – Agra, Aligarh, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Kanpur and Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), the agency looking into the corridor, considers these districts as ideal sites with good road connectivity. Besides, there are manufacturing units that already exist to extend the support when required.
Among the companies that were approached for the defence manufacturing project, Goa Shipyard Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Airbase group, Bharat Forge Limited, Boeing, Honeywell, L&T, MKU Limited and Wartsila are a few. BEL is reported to be the first to secure the land allotment.
The defence corridor project is aimed at enhancing the domestic production of defence equipment, thereby benefitting the local manufacturers along the proposed route.
Technology partner IIT Kanpur
IIT Kanpur has partnered with the project to extend its technology to aid the defence industrial corridor. The institute will be focussing on advanced nanomaterials, cybersecurity electronics and communications areas.
In February, it was announced that two defence industrial corridors will be set up in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. While UP has planned for the said six districts, Tamil Nadu’s corridor will be spanning across Kattupalli port, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore and Bengaluru. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath believes that the corridor will bring in the change in the state’s image.
UPEIDA has planned for a demonstration in the annual general meeting of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers on September 26.
