Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS), a joint venture (JV) between Pune-headquartered Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, inaugurated their manufacturing facility at Hardware Park of Hyderabad on Thursday, becoming the first private sector missile sub-system manufacturing entity in the country. The facility will soon start making Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ‘Spike’ for the Indian Army. The facility is the culmination of a seven-year-long process, which began with India floating the Request for Interest and Rafael later joining hands with the Kalyani Group for the job. The chairman of Kalyani Group, Baba Kalyani, told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration that the unit will provide direct employment to 500 people and indirect employment to as many as 3,000 through supply chains. “Around 90 per cent of the components of the missile system have been sourced locally and we expect an order from the government soon. All the tests of the system have been done as per the needs of the Indian Armed Forces,” said Kalyani. The plant will also be manufacturing gliders missiles in the future, he said. The plant was inaugurated by KT Rama Rao, Minister of Industries and IT, Telangana. Ambassador of Israel to India Daniel Carmon also attended. Rao, in his speech, spoke about the ease of doing business in Telangana and how several global players have already set up their units here, especially in the defence and aerospace sectors. Kalyani added that they have invested Rs 60 to 70 crore till now and an equivalent amount will be invested once orders start coming in. Rafael President and CEO, Major General Yoav Har-Even (Retd), said the company has so far invested Rs 445.9 crore (US$70) million in the venture. Gen Har-Even added, “Rafael has been increasingly looking at cooperation with India in the defence and aerospace arena. We are confident and eager to be a strategic partner in addressing India’s defence modernisation needs. Strategic cooperation between our two nations received a huge boost with the path breaking visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel last month. Rafael is committed to ‘Make in India’ and this JV is a step in that direction.” He also said that the JV was looking to export the missile to other countries in the future, subject to the policy of the Indian government. The Hyderabad facility will manufacture the entire missile, which comprises elaborate aerodynamics, avionics and an electronic system. The filling of explosives and propellants is done at Indian government facilities. Kalyani said that this venture, like any military manufacturing venture, too will have a continuous channel of communication with the armed forces to incorporate their changing needs. (The reporter was in Hyderabad for the inauguration at the invitation of the JV company)
