Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday, May 23, 2026, inaugurated a private-sector Defence Manufacturing Complex in Shirdi, Maharashtra, and flagged off the first batch of India’s first 300-kilometre Universal Rocket Launching System named ‘Suryastra’. The event, held in Ahilyanagar, also saw the laying of the foundation stone for a missile complex, the inauguration of a modern artillery shell manufacturing facility, and the signing of a contract with US-based satellite imagery firm BlackSky.
Addressing the gathering, Singh emphasised that India is on course to become a major global exporter of defence equipment within the next 25 to 30 years. “Countries with strong indigenous defence capabilities write their own destiny,” he said. He noted that India has shifted from being a net importer of defence equipment to a nation capable of manufacturing advanced weapon systems. Singh highlighted the growing role of the private sector in defence manufacturing, which currently accounts for 25–30% of the sector and is expected to rise to nearly 50% in the coming years.
The Defence Minister inaugurated Nibe Group’s Rs 3,000-crore defence manufacturing complex in Shirdi, which will produce the ‘Suryastra’ universal rocket launchers. The first batch of these launchers, developed in partnership with Israel-based Elbit Systems, was handed over for induction into the Indian Army under a Rs 293-crore emergency procurement contract awarded in January 2026. The ‘Suryastra’ system features “shoot-and-scoot” capability and can fire multiple types of munitions, including precision-guided rockets with ranges between 150 km and 300 km, and loitering munitions with operational ranges up to 100 km. The system underwent successful firing trials on May 18 and 19, 2026, at the Integrated Test Range.
Nibe Group’s Chief Technical Officer, Balakrishnan Swamy, said the Indian Army may eventually require seven to nine regiments of the ‘Suryastra’ system, potentially leading to long-term orders worth nearly Rs 6,000 crore. The company plans to invest Rs 10,000 crore in phases to expand manufacturing capacity, strengthen the local supply chain, and generate around 5,000 jobs. Swamy also announced that an indigenous drone with a strike range of 1,000 km is expected to be ready for demonstration within six months, drawing lessons from the battlefield use of drones such as Iran’s Shahed Kamikaze drones.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, present at the event, highlighted the state’s growing prominence in defence manufacturing. He stated that Maharashtra is poised to become a leading hub for defence production in India, with existing defence corridors in Nashik, Pune, Ahilyanagar, and Nagpur. “The Defence Minister has approved a defence corridor for Maharashtra,” Fadnavis said. He also underscored that a strong and self-reliant nation is essential for ensuring both domestic and global security.
The event was attended by top defence officials, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat, and Nibe Group CMD Ganesh Nibe. The inauguration of the artillery shell manufacturing facility with an annual capacity of five lakh shells, the missile complex, and the contract with BlackSky were also highlighted by Singh as significant milestones in India’s defence self-reliance journey.
