Yantra India fast-tracks custom-made ammo hardware for foreign cos

Nagpur: Yantra India Limited (YIL), the four-year-old defence public sector undertaking (DPSU) which bagged the Mini Ratna status recently, is positioning itself in the global market for churning out custom-made ammunition hardware on fast-track basis, following a successful deal.YIL proved its capability by providing hardware for a key artillery ammunition item in less than two months for a foreign buyer. It was based on the design put up by the buyer. The company got further orders, gaining a foothold in the foreign market. It is now getting further enquiries, said sources.
From nil at the time of its incorporation in 2021, the PSU exports as on 2024-25 stand at over Rs320 crore. This was also one of the reasons for the company to get Mini Ratna status, a source said.The buyers come up with a design according to their distinct needs for the same ammunition. It is like making the same product with certain additions. With the machinery at its disposal, YIL was able to meet the buyers' needs, and its products have been established. "Each foreign buyer wants some change according to the needs, and the company was able to cater to it. This is followed by a quick process of approval. The samples are quickly tested by the buyers, and deals are struck in a limited period. A streamlined procedure helped in churning out the products on a fast-track basis," said an official.One of the seven DPSUs formed out of the erstwhile ordnance factories, YIL has the Ordnance Factory Ambajhari as its flagship unit. It is engaged in making ammunition hardware. The hardware is later filled with explosives to make complete ammunition. YIL is exporting empty hardware, and the filling is done in the respective countries, said sources. Domestically, another PSU, Munitions India Limited (MIL), does the filling.Getting Mini Ratna status was a major jump for the company that began with legacy losses from the Ordnance Factory Board's (OFB) regime. As a PSU has to maintain financial viability, the company leveraged the plant and machinery at its disposal, even catering to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), apart from making ammunition hardware, said sources. The company's turnover as on 2024-25 stood at over Rs3100 crore. During the Kargil War of 1999, the Ordnance Factory Ambajhari undertook mass production of artillery shells to meet the sudden demand at the warfront.