A state-of-the-art, over 20,000 sq ft facility of an Indo-Israel joint venture to design, develop and manufacture tactical communication systems for Indian armed forces was inaugurated here on Tuesday.
With this, Astra Rafael Communication System (ARC), the JV, has positioned itself to become India’s first private sector firm to manufacture cutting-edge software defined radios in multiple variants. While the initial focus will be software defined radios and supplies to the country’s defence forces, the 51:49 JV between Astra Microwave and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems intends to over the time get into development and manufacture of a wide range of other advanced capabilities and export too.
In a media interaction, after Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the facility, Astra Microwave Products managing director S. Gurunatha Reddy said the JV “will be doing something for Defence communication, more specifically in manufacturing of software defined radios to start with. Later, we will graduate into design and development of various equipment for defence communication, get into electronic warfare and signal intervention systems”.
$30 million order
The JV partners have invested nearly ₹ 35 crore. The facility, located in the Hardware Technology Park, is executing a $30 million order from Rafael, which the Israel firm in turn received from Indian Air Force. The order will be executed in next 24 months. An R&D centre to be set up as a part of the facility, within 18 months, would work on products the JV would manufacture down the line, he added.
Rafael’s president and CEO Maj Gen (Ret) Yoav Har-Even said the facility will make BNET software defined radios, the world’s most advanced battle communication system in use by Israeli’s defence forces and other advanced militarys around the world. Another JV of Rafael, with Kalyani Group, is also in Hyderabad and had recently bagged a $100 million contract from the Israeli partner. A release said ARC has commenced operations with 32 personnel, largely comprising skilled technical manpower, and planned to provide employment to an estimated 185 personnel in the next two years.
Equipping security forces
Mr. Kishan Reddy said the Centre is “committed to ensuring that the security forces are adequately equipped to safeguard the nation against all kinds of threat, both internal and external”. “Creating defence industries and technological capabilities which can empower our security forces to meet these challenges effectively is an important component of this commitment,” he added.
Telangana Industries and IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan described the opening of the facility as “another milestone day in the defence and aerospace landscape of Telangana and Hyderabad… the most thriving, most dynamic defence cluster in the country.” Ambassador of Israel Ron Malka, COO of ARC Brig Ravi Hariharan also spoke.
