Kalyani-Rafael Joint Venture (KRAS): India-Israel joint venture Kalyani-Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) Tuesday delivered the first missile parts for India’s medium range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM). The mid-section of the MRSAM missile, which that would be in service of both Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, has been manufactured at the KRAS plant located near Hyderabad Airport.
KRAS is a joint venture between India’s defence manufacturer Kalyani Group and Israel’s high technology group Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Limited.
The roll-out event at KRAS plant in Hyderabad marked the Indian MSME’s commitment to deliver more than 1,000 MSRAM missile kits in next few years.
The missile sections manufactured by KRAS will be handed over to India’s state-owned defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for integration.
“The event marked the beginning of the journey of an MSME Indian company that is committed not only to the Make-in-India concept but also taking its stride towards the larger “Atma Nirbharta” idea (a self-reliant India in defence),” said Rudra B Jadeja, CEO of KRAS.
Jadeja said the company has fused Rafael’s state-of-the-art technology with the engineering excellence of the Kalyani Group.
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Atma Nirbhar Bharat
“This is beginning of a new era, filled with self-confidence…a collective demonstration of capability to be the global manufacturing hub for defence products,” said Baba Kalyani, Group Chairman and Managing Director of Pune based Kalyani Group.
Kalyani Group, which is engaged in design, development and manufacturing of long-range artillery guns and armoured vehicles among other weapon systems, has partnered with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to manufacture the missile parts.
DRDO’s MRSAM missile.
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Baba Kalyani said the company was confident of completing the order before the schedule and reiterated the group’s commitment to support Indian military with the best missile kits produced in India under the self-reliant India in defence scheme of the Modi government.
“Apart from the missile kits, we will extend our support in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations as in-service Air Defence Missile System for the armed forces,” Baba Kalyani added.
Make in India in Defence
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ executive vice president Brigadier General Pinhas Yungman, who heads the air and missile defence systems division of the company in India, said these missile kits produced by Rafael-Kalyani Group joint venture KRAS reflect the company’s commitment to build indigenous defence production in the country.
“We have been a reliable partner to the Indian armed forces for almost three decades, and these missile kits are a testimony of our commitment to ‘Make in India’ cause,” Yungman said.
“We are confident KRAS will not only build products for the Indian armed forces but will, at the same time, trigger and help achieve Indian government’s vision of exports from India,” he added.
MRSAM Missile Kit handing ceremony in Hyderabad.
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KRAS is India’s private sector MSME with advanced manufacturing capabilities and facilities dedicated to especially address the assembly, integration and testing (AIT) of the state-of-the-art weapon systems to be inducted by Indian military.
“The joint venture is a testament to the enhanced and deep cooperation between Israel and India in the strategic defence sector, as the coming together leverages and conflates the technology of Rafael and engineering strength of the Kalyani Group,” KRAS said in a statement.
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Rajinder Bhatia, President and the CEO of BFL Defence said a separate incubation centre has already been set up in Hyderabad’s Gachibowli, to support the technology, research and development, design, and engineering aspects.
The Centre is functioning under the supervision of the Rudra B Jadeja, CEO of KRAS.
“At a suitable time, all that will get merged when we have products coming on. Only this morning, we decided that we will start looking at not only manufacturing but also certain R&D packages required in India in a collaborative effort,” Bhatia added.
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