First batch of multi-mode hand grenades hand over to Indian Army

New Delhi, Aug 24: The first batch of Multi-Mode Hand Grenades (MMHG), manufactured by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) following Transfer of Technology from Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), was handed over to the Indian Army in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh in Nagpur, Maharashtra on August 24, 2021.

Chairman of EEL S N Nuwal handed over a scale replica of MMHG to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to mark the first delivery of ammunition from the private sector.

Chief of the Army Staff General M M Naravane, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy and DG Infantry Lt Gen A K Samantra were among those present on the occasion, the Ministry of Defence said in a note.

Singh termed the handing over of MMHG as a shining example of the increasing collaboration between the public & private sectors and a big step towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

"Today is a memorable day in the history of Indian defence sector. Our private industry is coming of age when it comes to defence production. It is an important milestone not only in the field of defence manufacturing, but also in achieving 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' as envisioned by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi," he said. The Raksha Mantri lauded DRDO & EEL for the speedy delivery of the order amidst COVID-19 restrictions and hoped of a faster delivery of the next lot.

Singh listed out the measures undertaken by the Government to transform the defence sector into a self-reliant industry which can cater to the present and the future needs of the Armed Forces.

These include setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; formulation of draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020; earmarking around 64 per cent of its modernisation funds under capital acquisition budget for 2021-22 for procurement from domestic companies; notifying two Positive Indigenisation Lists of over 200 defence items to promote self-reliance & defence exports; Corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB); increasing FDI limit from 49 to 74 per cent under automatic route and beyond 74 per cent through government route and according top priority to 'Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)}' category for capital procurement.