Speaking to Nitin A Gokhale in the special series “On the shop Floor”, Baba Kalyani underscored India's potential to emerge as a major defence manufacturing and export hub capable of supplying defence systems globally

Bharat Forge, an Indian automotive forging multinational (MNC), is strategically shifting its focus to an AI-driven defence division to establish it as the company’s core vertical. Under the visionary leadership of Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge is not just pursuing digitisation but is aggressively pushing the boundaries of innovation within this domain. Kalyani shared the company’s ambitious aspirations exclusively with Nitin Gokhale, Editor-in-Chief of BharatShakti, stating, “We are not just doing R&D, we are pioneering it. We have invested heavily, around 700-800 crores since 2011, to develop new products. Everything we do in our company is based on developing technology through our own innovation and our own know-how”. He asserted that from big guns – advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) to anti-tank guided missiles to ammunitions to small arms space, all segments are now digital and artificial intelligence-driven.

“We use very modern technology for making guns; everything is digital. ATAGS is the first digital gun that is almost software-driven as we developed its entire gun-control computer and digital systems, and it has AI,” said Kalyani. While unveiling the company’s new unit in Pune, he revealed, “We are not just innovating; we are leading the way in designing an engineering unit using digital and AI technology. This innovative approach is further strengthened by our collaboration with 4 to 5 AI start-ups in specific domains, ensuring that we always remain ahead of the curve in technological advancements”.

In the special program ‘On the Shop Floor’, Kalyani underscored India’s potential to emerge as a major defence manufacturing and export hub capable of supplying defence systems globally. While the company is awaiting large domestic orders of ATAGS and mounted guns, it is already exporting these items to foreign-friendly countries as 80% of its defence business is currently export-based.

“We exported six ATAGS, and another six will go this month. We have a large order for mounted guns—about 72 of these guns. We are also exporting ammunition in large quantities. Besides, we got an order to supply anti-tank guided missiles,” disclosed Baba Kalyani during an interview conducted at its facility.

Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), riding on the Group’s legacy and experience in design, engineering, metallurgy, and manufacturing expertise over five decades, has designed and developed nine major platforms/products across multiple domains, including land, air, and naval, such as artillery systems such as 155mm ultra-light gun-howitzer, mounted guns systems, naval 76mm and 127mm guns, small arms, ammunition, anti-tank missiles, ant-tank mines, protected vehicles, armoured vehicle upgrades, air defence systems, and defence electronics.

He reiterated the importance of the defence business for both India’s quest for self-reliance and Bharat Forge’s growth. As the defence subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), KSSL is committed to making a substantial contribution to India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. Therefore, the company places a strong emphasis on AI and digitisation, which play a pivotal role in systems engineering, systems capability, and data management.

Team BharatShakti