Hyderabad strongest defence hub in country: KTR
A world-class weapons systems facility to come up at Zaheerabad
Hyderabad: To become a significant contributor to national security and with an aim to develop defence capabilities crucial for the Armed forces, the State government on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with VEM Technologies Pvt. Ltd. for setting up world class weapon systems 'Integrated Defence Systems Facility' in the private sector here.
The MoU was signed by V Venkata Raju, Chairman and Managing Director, VEM Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce (I&C), in the presence of Minister for IT Industry and MA&UD K T Rama Rao.
Speaking on the occasion, Raju said, "VEM is setting up state-of-the-art integrated defence systems facility mainly meant for weapon systems integration in Zaheerabad in about 511 acres."
He shared that it will have full-fledged facility for missiles, naval systems, UAS, medium and large aero/naval structures, radars, aero-engines, hot and cold integration, metrology, surface treatment with NADCAP certification. This is to meet the current and forthcoming orders and also to be the base for few of foreign OEMs to produce their systems for the Indian/global market.
Raju informed that the Yelgoi unit, with an investment of Rs 785 crore and an assurance of 1,150 minimum employment over the coming five years, is going to start a new chapter in the defence, aeronautics and space sectors. It will be the first-of-its-kind in the country having the end-to-end infrastructure for assembly, integration and testing of the systems.
Raju added that VEM is an Aerospace and Defence Company founded in Hyderabad in 1988 and has grown to be a major systems integrator and defence exporter in over three decades.
Minister KT Rama Rao said, "Hyderabad is the strongest defence hub in the country with over a dozen large DRDO labs and defence Public Sector Undertakings. Hyderabad is also the most preferred aerospace and defence manufacturing destination for foreign OEMs, such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Safran."
He said the world class weapon systems integration facility will have an investment of Rs 1,000 crore and will employ more than 2,000 people in the coming five years.
"It will also help fulfil the country's aspiration to be a leading exporter to defence technologies. I am sure this facility will emerge as great example to showcase the robustness of Telangana aerospace and defence ecosystem and will also help attract further investments and employment creation in this sector," the Minister added.
KTR congratulated Raju and assured all possible support from the State government. During the singing of MoU, M Pallam Raju, former Union Minister, G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary & Chairman DRDO, Dr VK Saraswat, Member, NITI AAYOG were present.