Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (File photo)
Mumbai: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be inaugurating the Shirdi Defence Manufacturing Complex of NIBE Group on May 23-24, in what the Pune-based conglomerate is billing as a milestone in privately led defence production.
“The Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, the chief of defence staff, General Anil Chauhan, and the state’s water resources minister, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, are also expected to attend,” the company said.
The facility, located in Shirdi in Ahilya Nagar (formerly Ahmednagar) district, will house manufacturing lines for defence and aerospace components.
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NIBE Group said that the complex is intended to support indigenous technology development and strengthen the country’s defence supply chain.
India has made considerable strides in domestic defence production in recent years. According to the Ministry of Defence, the country’s defence output crossed ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24, with exports reaching a record ₹21,083 crore, a figure the government aims to more than double by 2029.
Vikhe Patil, whose constituency of Shirdi falls within the project area, described the initiative as emblematic of a broader ambition. “Shirdi is known as a place of devotion,” he said.
“We want it to also become a place of national strength. The facility will generate large-scale employment in the region and contribute to self-reliance in defence technology.”
NIBE Group and partner small and medium enterprises plan to exhibit indigenous technologies and manufacturing solutions, underscoring the role that smaller firms play in India’s defence supply chains.
Ganesh Nibe, the chairman and managing director of NIBE Group, said the occasion was as much about inspiring the next generation as it was about commissioning a factory.
“This inauguration is not merely the commissioning of a new manufacturing facility,” he said. “It is an invitation to the next generation of innovators to witness the future of India’s defence and technological capabilities.”
