Indian Defense Industry General News and Updates

I have a few friends in an Arts college. One particularly lazy freind once told me that they organised a protest against gun violence in America. When I inquired what good will protesting here do, he told me they just wanted a day off.


Defence federation threatens stir against one-sided decision

Published July 22, 2019 | By admin SOURCE: TNN
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All-India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) has decided to go on indefinite strike against allegedly one-sided decision of privatisation of ordnance units.“During the indefinite strike period, all defence production facilities will be completely shut. The date of the strike will be decided at a meeting in New Delhi on July 25,” said SN Pathak, AIDEF president SN Pathak, who was in the city on Saturday.

Pathak pointed out that the Central government is neglecting the defence establishment which is strategic, in order to facilitate the entry of private companies with 100 percent FDI under the banner of Make in India.Under this initiative, 275 defence products made in 41 ordnance factories have been declared “non-core” and are being offered to private sector companies.Because of this, 25,000 defence production workers and hundreds of small scale industries have been adversely affected or have already been closed down.

Pathak said, “The Federation strongly opposed the fact that the Central government has been proceeding with the defence corridor while depriving the state-owned defence industries like ordnance factories of their work.”

Defence federation threatens stir against one-sided decision – Indian Defence Research Wing
 
Vadodara firm will keep fighter aircraft safe in air

Tushar Tere | TNN | Updated: Jul 22, 2019, 12:36 IST
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A city-based company will make it sure that when the fighter aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) are busy establishing air dominance over enemy’s air force, they fly safe. The IAF will soon be sourcing an anti-icing injection device made by the company. Promoter of the firm Premal Smart displayed his device during the seminar organized by South Western Air Command (SWAC) at Air Force Station, Vadodara, recently.

“Till now, the IAF used to import this device from Europe. But under the Make in India programme, it invited private firms to make the anti-icing injection device indigenously. I had also submitted a tender for making this product,” said Smart, whose firm is a registered vendor of the IAF.

He said he began working on the product about six months ago. “When an aircraft reaches a certain height, the temperature drops and ice starts forming in the fuel. An additive is mixed with the fuel when it is filled in the aircraft. But the amount of additive has to be measured and the anti-icing injection device is used for adding the additive to the fuel,” Smart told TOI.

“I believe this is for the first time that the IAF will be using an anti-icing device made indigenously. An entire squadron of aircraft can be fuelled through this device that costs just one-third of what the government was paying for the imported ones,” Smart said.

Vadodara firm will keep fighter aircraft safe in air | Vadodara News - Times of India
 
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More autonomy for OFB under planned corporatisation but job security to go

By Jayanta Gupta
Jul 25, 2019, 16:04 IST
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The Centre wishes to restructure the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to perform on the lines of global giants like Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. Amidst growing discontent among employees of the 41 ordnance factories across the country against plans by the government of India to corporatise the Kolkata-based OFB, TOI gets access to a document that outlines the plans for the future.

While this restructuring will result in greater autonomy and lesser government control for the OFB Corporation, there will be a big question mark on job security. While the government of India (GoI) will pay the salaries and other emoluments for the first five years after corporatisation, the Corporation will have to earn enough to bear these costs thereafter. Those with more than 15 years of service left won’t be entitled to pension and the government will also fund a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for employees.

“All existing employees and officers of OFB will be on deputation for five years to OFB Corporation. Salaries and perks as per existing rules with increase in DA from time to time and 7th CPC recommendations and other emoluments may be given till next five years. All employees will be given 5 years extra benefit for exercising the VRS Option. That means any employee with 15 years of service as on the date of formation of Corporation can get full pensionary benefits. VRS scheme would be funded by GOI,” the document states.

So far as funds are concerned, working capital for the next five years will be provided by the Department of Defence Production (DDP) as a one-time corpus fund.

Capital investment for ongoing and sanctioned projects will also be provided.

According to the plan, the OFB at the board level will be given the status of a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) and will perform as a holding company with the freedom to reorganise the ordnance factories and other units under its control. This internal restructuring will be examined by a reputed external consultant. OFB will also be allowed to forge partnerships with the private sector as per the ministry of defence’s approved policy. It may also forge joint ventures (JVs) with 49% equity of the government of India.

“While the OFB chairman will be given suitable representation in defence procurement and the defence procurement board, the corporation shall have the mandate to foray into allied business like Homeland Security and Space-based Warfare.:eek:All assets will be owned by OFB Corporation and it shall be free to offer its employees and board of directors an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP),” it has been stated.

OFB will continue to receive orders from the country’s security forces on a nomination basis for products it now supplies and for new ones for which it is the designated agency. For make and buy and make category products, OFB will be granted a special preference of 15% above L1 price. In case of losses, the Centre shall support OFB by way of loan for 30% of the total shortfall and by way of equity investment for balance 70% of the amount.

The government will also take care of liabilities like pension arising out of the current serving employees. The government will ensure that there is no political interference in the functioning of the OFB and will provide sovereign guarantee for raising of loans. Government orders shall also cease to be applicable to OFB unless the same is considered appropriate by OFB.

“Principle of empowerment requires that OFB should be allowed to take decisions in a business-like manner and is accountable for its performance. At the same time ministry should not interfere with the functioning of OFB,” the document states.

More autonomy for OFB under planned corporatisation but job security to go - Times of India
 
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The steps planned by MoD seemed to have been aimed at taking away some(not all) monopolies of the OFB.

Ordnance factory staff to go on month-long strike to protest privatisation

Workers at the government-owned ordnance factories are apprehensive that the government plans to privatise these factories.

Updated: Jul 28, 2019; 16:04 IST
By Tanmay Chatterjee
Hindustan Times, Kolkata
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The Rifle Factory Ishapore is one of India’s top ordnance factories.(Govt of India website)

Three national-level trade unions of employees and workers of 41 Indian ordnance factories under the Kolkata-headquartered Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) have announced that they will go on a month-long strike from August 20 in protest against the Centre’s likely decision to corporatise and privatise all units.

The 41 units employ more than 1,00,000 people. Some of the oldest units, such as Rifle Factory Ishapore, the sole maker of rifles for the armed forces, are located near Kolkata.

The move comes a week after the matter came up for discussion at a high-level meeting called by the Centre in Delhi. Top OFB officials who are aware of the development but did not want to be named said no formal notice or order has been issued by the Centre but matter was discussed at the highest level on July 18. OFB chairman Saurabh Kumar was present at the meeting.

On Friday, OFB’s deputy director general Niraj Kela wrote to the heads of all ordnance factories to ensure that the strike does not affect smooth running of the units.

In a circular to OFB, the unions described the strike as ‘first phase’ of the movement and demanded withdrawal of the government’s decision. The three unions are All India Defence Employees’ Federation (AIDEF), Indian National Defence Workers’ Federation (INDWF) and Bhartiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS). The last one is affiliated to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the labour wing of Rashtriya Shayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The three unions will be joined by Confederation of Defence Recognised Associations.

“These factories are the backbone of our armed forces. They cannot be treated like tea-stalls,” said Ashok Singh, president, INDWF.

Ever since the Centre enforced Arms Rules 2016, which introduced new laws to facilitate production of weapons by private players in collaboration with foreign partners, a large section of officials and staff in the state-owned ordnance factories were apprehending a similar move to streamline the OFB units. Some major units, including Rifle Factory Ishapore, are located in Bengal. The workers’ unions have staged agitation in many cities, demanding state support.

On July 23, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to corporatise and privatise ordnance factories.

Ordnance factory staff to go on month-long strike to protest privatisation
 
A mini clip on Counter RCIED system from an private Indian company. It will cause a localised jamming of EM waves causing a failure of all RF controlled/operated devices. For example : enemy radios, cell phones, micro drones etc. This will in turn keep our forces safe and help create a local tactical information gap for the enemy.

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