A complete armoury solution, 9mm pistols and 5.56 mm assault rifles, and next-generation haemostatic bandages are among the inventories of medium and small-scale enterprises and start-ups that will jostle for space among the products of biggies of defence manufacturing to catch the attention of participants at the DefExpo at Gandhinagar starting from Tuesday.

Almerio Defence and Aerospace LLP, offering a product range including portable earth cover magazines and pre-engineered portable modular and baffling firing range and containment box; and Raspian Enterprises’ 9mm pistols and 5.56 mm assault rifles; Axio Biosolutions Pvt Limited that has come up with 100 per cent Chitosan shell dressing for soldiers are part of 25 domestic defence manufacturing companies whose names Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) has shared with the Defence Ministry for featuring at the five-day DefExpo.

These displays would be part of “Bandhan” which is being organised to forge partnerships between companies and for showcasing start-ups and MSME’s cutting-edge tech solutions for the future battlefield.

Over 400 MOUs will be announced at the DefExpo to push Atmanirbharta in the defence sector and try and make the products globally competitive quality-wise, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar had said.

Novel Products

The portable firing range is a secure modular range ready for live firing. It is a pre-engineered, portable, modular firing range extendable up to 300 metres that comprises a robust baffle system, HEPA filtration, HVAC system, bulletproof exteriors, and High-quality ceiling guards, Mrinal Tayal, Co-founder and director of the company told businessline.

Other products in the weapon management category is portable Earth Covered Magazines (ECMs), which Tayal claims is different from the existing RCC magazines and is much needed for a longer shelf life of ammunition.

The portable ECMs are low on maintenance and custom manufactured to fit specific military munitions storage applications, she stated while listing out its features. Almerio Defence and Aerospace LLP, she said is managed by women entrepreneurs which are rare in the defence industry.

In the unmanned systems which many of the leading global as well as domestic companies are vying given that they are being dubbed as futuristic warfare tools, Kadet Defence Systems Pvt Ltd is offering multi-role high-speed jet-powered combat UAV having stealth characteristics with range greater than 300 km and ability fly at speeds of 500 km/hr with a payload of up to 25kg, product information reveals.

Significant usages include loitering munitions, swarming, aerial decoys and air defence swarm-based training, said SIDM sources.

Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL) MoU

One of the relatively big players, Ashok Leyland, will be signing MOUs with defence PSU Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL) for supply of mobility kits for Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) 6x6. The Company has been doing for MPV 4x4.

"While the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur which comes under AVNL manufactures the structure, the mobility solution which includes engines of the MPV 6x6 will be supplied by us," stated Col Rajneesh Kacker (Retired), Head Defence Marketing, Sales & After Marketing of Ashok Leyland.

In another MOU, Ashok Leyland Defence Systems Ltd will supply transmission systems for T-72 and T-90 tanks of the Russian origin, he said.