Texmaco Defence – A journey from Incorporation in 2018 to seeking prestigious Global Technology Alliances within a year!

The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India had spelt out his vision of a self-reliant and progressive India through his clarion call of “Make-in-India”, with a focus on stepping up Indigenous production in the Defence Sector and by involving vibrant Private Sector participation. The “Make-in-India” concept is the cornerstone of the acquisition plans and Defence Production Policy. India’s current requirements for Defence are catered substantially by imports. The opening of the Defence sector for private sector participation will help Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) to enter into strategic partnerships with Indian production houses and leverage the domestic markets as well as create a production hub for Global Markets.

Our Group Chairman’s vision and passion to timely take up the challenge, has eventually culminated in a strategic Group initiative of setting up of TDSPL in January, 2018, as a subsidiary of TREL, specially focussed on “Make-in-India” projects in the Defence & Homeland Security segments. Texmaco’s excellence in manufacturing, specifically in areas like Machining, Shaping, Forming, Casting, Fabrication, Surface treatment etc. shall be optimally leveraged by Texmaco Defence Systems Pvt. Ltd., and has indeed taken up the challenge to augment the indigenous production of equipments required by the Armed & Paramilitary Forces along with state-of-the-art technology partnerships in diverse areas of operations. By March, 2018, all the Defence Licenses applied for were pushed through and granted by the Government of India in the following areas:- (i) manufacture of Empty Shells of Ammunition, (ii) manufacture of Guns & (iii) manufacture of Armoured Vehicles. 

In line with the action plan, relating to forming strategic technology partnerships between reputed Global OEM’s and Texmaco, two important Working Protocols / MoUs, under the Make-in-India Programme, were signed on August 23, 2018 in Moscow, on behalf of Texmaco by Mr. Tribhuvan Darbari, Chief Executive, TREL and Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, TDSPL, in the presence of Mr. Dharam Vir, Board Director, TDSPL & Wing Commander Mr. Anil Kumar Arora, Advisor to the Board, TDSPL, during the 4^th India Russia Military Industrial Conference (MIC) held under the Joint Chairmanship of Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Defence Production, Govt. of India and Mr. O.N. Ryazantsev, Deputy Minister of Industry & Trade, Russian Federation, Moscow:-

(i)  Working Protocol with PJSC AC “RUBIN Aviation Corporation”, Moscow, Russian Federation, established in 1946 and now with a turnover of around Rs. 900 Crores, RUBIN is a leader in manufacturer of wheels and brake assemblies and a wide range of hydraulic aggregates installed on various aircrafts (fighters & transport) and for helicopters of Russian Origin. Currently, the Indian Airforce and the Indian Navy has a fleet of around 550 consisting of Mi-8, Mi-17, AN-32 & IL-76. The present understanding is to initially set up repair facilities for all items of Rubin Manufacture, under the aegis of “Make-in-India”.

(ii) (a)              Working Protocol with Almaz Antey (USD 9.125 Billion Company), the largest Corporation in Russia & the Number 8 Defence Company in the world for development & production of anti-aircraft missile systems, small, medium and long ranges. Texmaco & Almaz Antley have agreed to provide Joint Product Support / Repair & Production of Article; providing technical manpower equipments, & assisting in sourcing of equipments in India for the Indian Projects and eventually considering MRO facilities for the proposed S 400 complexes etc.

(b)          During the State visit of the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, on 5^th October, 2018, the signing of the Agreement for the purchase of world’s most advanced long range Air Defence Systems – S 400 for approx. cost of Rs. 40,000 Crores, was finally announced. With the timely signing of the Working Protocol between Texmaco and Almaz Antey, we shall now interact with their management for the visit of the Almaz Antey team to TREL’s Kolkata manufacturing facilities, to draw a concrete plan for a mutually beneficial bilateral collaboration.

To take the above Working Protocols to the next level of engagements, the Chairman, Adventz Group, along with the TDSPL Board of Directors, personally visiting the AERO India 2019, in February, 2019, organized by the Ministry of Defence at Bengaluru to meet the Top Management Delegations from the above two organizations and would also be meeting important High Level Delegations from US, France, Russia & Japan, with a view to source appropriate technologies for the Defence Manufacturing Projects, apropos the company’s Action Plans for the Indian Army, Navy & Airforce, as approved by the TDSPL Board.