PM Modi inaugurates K9 Vajra gun-making facility in Gujarat
The first private facility in country where Howitzer guns will be manufactured
Hazira (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured.
L&T had in 2017 won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Indian Army under the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative.
"I congratulate the entire team of Larsen & Toubro for building the state-of-the-art K-9 Vajra Self Propelled Howitzer. This is a significant contribution towards India's defence sector and protecting the country," Modi tweeted.
"Boosting 'Make in India' in the defence sector is our endeavour. I am glad that the private sector too is supporting this pursuit and making a valuable contribution," he said in another tweet.
The prime minister shared a short video on his Twitter handle of himself standing in a tank. "Checking out the tanks at L&T's Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira," he said in the tweet.
The company has set up the facility in Hazira, around 30km from Surat, to manufacture and integrate advanced armoured platforms, such as self-propelled artillery Howitzers, future infantry combat vehicles, future-ready combat vehicles and future main battle tanks.
Spread over 40 acres within L&T's 755-acre Hazira Manufacturing Complex, the ASC is executing the K9 Vajra guns programme.
The K9 Vajra contract involves delivery of 100 such systems in 42 months, which is the largest contract awarded to a private company by the Ministry of Defence.
L&T had signed a transfer of technology contract for guns with South Korean company Hanwha Corporation.
Present at the function were Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Defence Acquisition of the Republic of Korea Wang Jung Hong, and L&T Group Chairman A M Naik.
The facility has been developed to make full-fledged battle tank manufacturing possible in India, a senior L&T Defence official told PTI. "By involving 400 SMEs and developing 13,000 parts indigenously, the company is moving in the direction of manufacturing a totally indigenous battle tank without having to depend on external help," said J D Patil, senior executive vice president, L&T Defence.
