 "UP's Kanpur, 'Manchester of the East', pivots to military ware hub")
Kanpur, the erstwhile ‘Manchester of the East’ – a moniker it earned owing to a flourishing textile sector – is witnessing a shift into defence and aerospace manufacturing sector in north India.
Nestled in Central Uttar Pradesh, the industrial town has netted investments in an array of defence and military projects across aircraft, drones, arms and ammunition, propellant systems, among others.
Kanpur, one of the six nodes of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), has received defence manufacturing investment proposals of nearly Rs 12,800 core and 210 hectares of land been allocated to investors, so far, according to Invest UP chief Abhishek Prakash
“The Kanpur node is propelling UP’s economic growth to new heights by emerging as a pivotal component of the UPDIC,” he said.
Promoted by the UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority, the corridor is key to making the state a dollar trillion economy, and catalysing the overarching ‘Make in UP’ theme.
Among top investors, Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited has chipped in Rs 1,500 crore to establish one of South Asia’s largest integrated ammunition manufacturing complexes in the city.
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Spread over 500 acres, the plant is expected to produce a range of small, medium, and large calibre ammunition for the army, paramilitary, and police. The company has also proposed an additional investment of Rs 2,500 crore for a propellant manufacturing complex.
Additionally, Delta Combat Systems has secured land for small arms and ammunition manufacturing with an investment of Rs 150 crore. Genser Aerospace & IT has proposed Rs 3,000 crore for a 2+7-seater Light Business Jets facility. Ananth Technologies is set to invest Rs 2,000 crore to produce GEO satellites. They have also proposed an additional Rs 1,500 crore investment for a LEO satellite manufacturing unit.
Besides, Lohia Aerospace Systems plans to build an aerospace composite facility with an investment of Rs 370 crore, while National Emerging Technology Research & Analysis (NETRA) will invest Rs 360 crore to manufacture artillery shells.
French major CILAS is exploring technology transfer for laser tech to be used in defence drone manufacturing with a pipeline of Rs 500 crore. MSK Business Solutions will invest Rs 120 crore in a joint venture with Russian OEMs to manufacture radars and avionics in Kanpur node, while Raphe mPhibr will establish a dynamic drone hub with an investment of Rs 100 crore.