India Defence News: The total orders with public sector Indian defence manufacturers have topped the mark of Rs 2.3 lakh crore with the public sector aircraft manufacturer Hinduastan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on top of the list with order book of nearly Rs 60,000 crore. HAL is followed by aerospace and electronic equipment manufacturer for Indian armed forces – Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and ship manufacturer Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), according to the latest official information given by the government in Parliament.
HAL which produces Sukhoi 30 MKI frontline fighters under licence from Russia and indigenously developed light combat aircraft – LCA Tejas – has orders worth Rs 59,832 crore.
HAL is followed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) that has orders worth Rs 56,300 crore.
The government’s massive shipbuilding programme means that public and private sector shipbuilders in the country have their hands full. Public sector shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) that manufactures Scorpene class submarine under licence from France has order book of Rs 52,113 crore, followed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) at Rs 27407 crore and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) at Rs 14956 crore.
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Defence manufacturer BEML Limited (BEML) has order book of Rs 9,568 crore, followed by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) Rs 7200 crore and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) Rs 2805 crore and Mishradhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) Rs 1800 crore.
The status of current order books of Defence PSUs is as under:
| S. No. | Public Sector Defence Manufacturer | Current order book value |
| 1 | HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITED (HAL) | Rs 59,832 crore |
| 2 | BHARAT ELECTRONICS LIMITED (BEL) | Rs 56,300 crore |
| 3 | MAZAGON DOCK SHIPBUILDERS LIMITED (MDL) | Rs 52,113 crore |
| 4 | GARDEN REACH SHIPBUILDERS & ENGINEERS LIMITED (GRSE) | Rs 27,407 crore |
| 5 | GOA SHIPYARD LIMITED (GSL) | Rs 14,956 crore |
| 6 | BEML LIMITED (BEML) | Rs 9,568 crore |
| 7 | BHARAT DYNAMICS LIMITED (BDL) | Rs 7,200 crore |
| 8 | HINDUSTAN SHIPYARD LIMITED (HSL) | Rs 2,805 crore |
| 9 | MISHRA DHATU NIGAM LIMITED (MIDHANI) | Rs 1,800 crore |
“The order book volume of Defence PSUs depends on the customers which is primarily the Armed Forces and export opportunities in the International market,” said Shripad Naik, minister of state for defence in the Lok Sabha.
He said the government has taken several steps to improve the order book position of public sector defence manufacturers.
“The steps taken to improve the order book position includes modernization of production capacity and infrastructure; emphasis on import substitution and indigenization, promotion of exports, introduction of new technologies, product diversification among other things,” he said in the Lok Sabha.
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He said these measures also include setting up of JVs with foreign companies and preference is being given to buy (Indian – Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) equipment under capital acquisition in Defence Procurement Procedure 2016.
