The Adani Group is betting big on the export market with its first military facility to manufacture Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) set to become operational in Hyderabad this month.
The group which made a measured entry into the defence manufacturing business in 2015 will initially make the Hermes 900 UAV for an order from the Israeli defence forces and is looking for further options for exports in the global market.
The Russian government was earlier in talks with the company to potentially partner for manufacturing AK 103 assault rifles, though the Centre has now nominated state-run Ordnance Factory Board for the contract.
Top company executives told ET that the company plans to not limit the Hyderabad facility to UAVs and would upgrade it to manufacturing high-end helicopter gears by next year and is looking at India as a manufacturing hub for orders from across the globe.
“We got our internal approvals in December and will have the facility operational in October, in less than ten months that included land acquisition and construction,” Adani Defence and Aerospace head Ashish Rajvanshi told ET.