In news
The first batch of Multi-Mode Hand Grenades (MMHG), manufactured by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) following Transfer of Technology from Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), was handed over to the Indian Army.
Details
- The handing over of MMHG as a shining example of the increasing collaboration between the public & private sectors and a big step towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
- It is an important milestone not only in the field of defence manufacturing, but also in achieving ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ as envisioned by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
- The problems being faced by the Armed Forces, Defence Public Sector Undertakings and OFB are identified and brought before entrepreneurs, MSMEs, start-ups and innovators through Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) to find solutions.
About the grenade
- The grenade is not just more lethal, but is safer to use. It has a distinctive design that gives flexibility of employment in both defensive (fragmentation) and offensive (stun) modes.
- It has a highly accurate delay time, very high reliability in usage and safe for carriage.
Measures undertaken by the Government to transform the defence sector
- These include setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
- Formulation of draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020
- Earmarking around 64 per cent of its modernisation funds under capital acquisition budget for 2021-22 for procurement from domestic companies
- Notifying two Positive Indigenisation Lists of over 200 defence items to promote self-reliance & defence exports
- Corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)
- Increasing FDI limit from 49 to 74 per cent under automatic route and beyond 74 per cent through government route and according top priority to 'Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)}' category for capital procurement.
Source: PIB
