Making a foray into the defence sector, the Jindal Stainless Limited today signed an agreement with the DRDO for producing high nitrogen steel (HNS), used in strategic platforms and weapons systems including missiles and battle tanks.
Calling it a major initiative, DRDO chairman Dr S Christopher said production of HNS in India will significantly help the country's ambitious defence indigenisation programme and also complement the 'Make in India' initiative.
The Jindal Stainless (Hisar) is the first company to receive licence from the DRDO for commercial production of HNS, the technology for which has been developed by Hyderabad-based Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) of DRDO.
The HNS has cleared multiple levels of ballistic tests in different calibers.
The Jindal Stainless signed the "non-exclusive" pact with the DRDO in presence of Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre and Abhyuday Jindal, Vice Chairman of the company.
The DRDO said any private sector steel company can approach it for licence to produce HNS, a ballistic and blast protection material.
"We are looking at production of 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes of HNS per annum initially which will be increased gradually. It will be going to be priced 30-40 per cent cheaper than the imported material," Jindal said.
Bhamre complimented the DRDO for coming out with the "breakthrough" technology for the defence industry and called upon them to use HNS extensively.
HNS can be used for production of a wide-range of weapons and other military platforms including missiles, infantry combat vehicle, light specialty vehicle, light armoured vehicle, main battle tank and various other aviation and naval systems.
Jindal Stainless said it is also working to produce additional variants of HNS with enhanced blast and ballistic protection to cater to niche requirements of the Indian Defence sector.
Jindal Stainless said it has become the first company in India to commercially produce HNS for the defence sector.
A DRDO official said the use of HNS will replace the existing import of Rolled Homogenous Armour (RHA), thereby resulting in improved cost efficiency in material acquisition.
The licence does not allow Jindal Stainless to export the HNS but the company said it will try to get the clearence.
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