Def PSU gets order from ‘unknown’ NATO nation
Sources have said that this order came from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country. The name could not be disclosed due to the condition of confidentiality.
Nagpur: MIL (Munition India Limited), a brand new Defense Public Sector Undertaking formed after the corporatization of Ordnance Factories, has received an order to manufacture ammunition for a developed country.
Sources have said that this order came from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country. The name could not be disclosed due to the condition of confidentiality.
Although a small order of around Rs 30 crore, it is considered prestigious because of the country from which the indent came. And the propellant would be used for absolutely no small arms ammunition, including rifles.
The propellant is the material that drives the bullet or shell out of the weapon. Munition India Limited will make more than 100 tonnes of propellant for overseas users.
The order of propellant will be executed by the factory located in Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh.
Isothermal Micro Calorimetry
Munition India Limited is now manufacturing multimodal grenades along with Nagpur-based Economic Explosives Limited (EEL has got the order). And EEL is also the first private company to manufacture weapons for the military.
EEL has also got orders for manufacturing up to 10 lakh grenades over a period of about 2 years. At the same time, Munition India Limited has got an indent to make up to 1 lakh grenades. The first batch of around 10,000 will also be delivered by March as the rest will be delivered in the coming financial year.
Because Munition India Limited will also have to first establish the shelf life of the grenade of about 15 years. Munition India Limited also follows the Intensive Shelf Life Assessment (ISA) methodology, which takes 2 years. And by the time the first order of 1 lakh grenades is fulfilled, the shelf life is also very much expected.
EEL is passed through the isothermal micro calorimetry (ICM) method which takes 4 months. According to Munition India Limited sources, the ISA is the only method that has been approved by the Army’s Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA). Sources have said that the isothermal micro calorimetry method of EEL is used by North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries.
The erstwhile Ordnance Factories are also exploring the global market after incorporation to increase their order book. Munition India Limited which is headquartered in Pune also has Ordnance Factories at Chandrapur and Bhandara.
Also Read: New Defense PSUs: Timeout for Overtime
