Safran and BEL forge partnership in defence sector

New Delhi: Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics & Defense, France, have announced the signing of a partnership to create a joint venture for the manufacturing, customisation, sale and maintenance of HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) Smart Precision Guided Air-to-Ground Weapon in India.

PSU Watch is now on Whatsapp Channels. Click here to join

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by BEL's Director (Marketing) KV Suresh Kumar and Safran Electronics & Defense Executive Vice President Alexandre Ziegler in the presence of BEL's Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Jain, Safran Electronics & Defense CEO Franck Saudo and other senior executives of both companies.

“The proposed joint venture between BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense will be a major step toward strengthening India's capabilities in defense manufacturing and achieving self-reliance in advanced weapon systems. It will localise HAMMER production, enable development of future variants and support the Government of India‘s Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative by reducing import dependence. The collaboration will facilitate technology transfer, create opportunities for Indian industries, especially SMEs and position India as a global hub for smart ammunitions production," said Jain.

"This joint venture partnership with BEL marks an important milestone for Safran Electronics & Defense. By creating this center of excellence combining the best of Safran with the best of BEL in smart precision guided munitions, we are supporting the Government’s Make in India programme, as well as strengthening both India’s sovereign defense capabilities and Safran’s industrial presence in India," said Saudo.

As part of this partnership, BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense also plan to establish a Center of Excellence aimed at enhancing India’s Defence capabilities. This center will bolster joint industrial activities in areas such as manufacturing, engineering, and associated services such as operational maintenance, repairs, and overhauls of optronics and navigation equipment for the Indian armed forces. Safran Electronics & Defense will bring its expertise by implementing a knowledge transfer programme. The transfer of production will happen in a phased manner with BEL leading final assembly, testing and quality assurance.

This strategic collaboration, which is in sync with the Government of India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, will facilitate the creation of a state-of-the-art production facility in India, making the country a key hub for advanced smart munitions. It will reduce dependency on imports and strengthen India's self-reliance and operational readiness in Defence.

HAMMER is a combat-proven, precision-guided weapon system known for its high accuracy and modular design, making it adaptable for multiple platforms, including the Rafale and LCA Tejas.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)