Reliance Infra to invest Rs 10,000 crore in defence project in Maharashtra

The small arms portfolio will cater to export markets for both civil and military applications.

Anil Ambani’s flagship firm, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, on Tuesday announced its plan to invest Rs 10,000 crore over the next ten years to establish India’s largest integrated project in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, for the manufacturing of explosives, ammunition, and small arms.

The company has been allotted 1,000 acres of land in the Watad Industrial Area of Ratnagiri to develop the Dhirubhai Ambani Defence City (DADC). “DADC will be the largest greenfield project in the defence sector in India by any private sector company,” the firm stated. Reliance Infrastructure joins industry giants like Tata Group, Adani, and Larsen & Toubro in the defence manufacturing sector.

“Reliance Infrastructure will invest over Rs 10,000 crore over the next 10 years,” the statement read. “Through its subsidiaries, Reliance Infrastructure has exported defence equipment worth more than Rs 1,000 crore over time.” Its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Jai Armaments Ltd and Reliance Defence Ltd, already hold government licenses for the manufacturing of arms and ammunition.

The project envisions potential joint ventures with up to six leading global defence companies and will include a wide range of ammunition, from small to large calibres, as well as terminally guided munitions (TGM). The small arms portfolio will cater to export markets for both civil and military applications. The statement did not disclose the names of joint venture partners. Reliance Infrastructure already has joint ventures with French defence firms Dassault Aviation and Thales.