Indian bulletproof jackets: Indian private sector defence manufacturers have carved out a niche for themselves in the global defence market, particularly in the field of body protection devices and helmets and are supplying bullet proof jackets and body protection devices to 18 countries, Indian government informed the Parliament on Wednesday.
Responding to a question about the state of production of body protection devices in the country and their export, India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that Indian companies are currently supplying bullet proof jackets to 18 countries in the world.
However, defence minister Rajnath Singh refused to divulge the names of importing nations.
“Bullet Proof Jackets are being exported to 18 countries. In view of the strategic requirement, the names of the countries are not disclosed,” Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
He said industrial licences have been issued to 15 companies for manufacturing Bullet Proof Jackets in the country. And the country can produce more than 10 lakh (1 million) bullet proof jackets per year to meet domestic and export requirements.
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Kanpur based defence manufacturer MKU, and Delhi based SM Group have emerged as leading companies in private sector companies that are engaged in production and supply of bullet proof jackets, bulletproof helmets, platform armors among other things.
Rajnath Singh said the bullet proof jackets are procured from time to time and made available to Indian soldiers as per specifications and authorisation.
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Bulletproof jackets by SM Group displayed at DefExpo 2020.
MKU
Kanpur based MKU is active in the field of manufacturing bulletproof jackets and helmets, night vision devices for military use and platform protection devices. The company states that it has provided body and platform protection devices to more than 2 million soldiers and 2,000 platforms.
Recently french defence and aerospace major Thales announced a tie-up with MKU for manufacturing Elfie night vision devices in the country.
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SM Group
In 2018, Indian Army awarded its biggest ever contract to Delhi based SM Group to supply 1.86 lakh bulletproof jackets in a Rs 639 crore deal.
The company also produces ammunitions, armor ceremics, devices for personal protection, platform protection and blast protection for its global customers.
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