Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Ammunition Facility in Nagpur | 21 Jan 2026

Why in News? 

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a state-of-the-art Medium Caliber Ammunition Manufacturing Facility at Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Key Points: 

• Aim: The facility is aimed at strengthening India’s domestic defence production capacity and reducing dependence on imports. 
• Features of the Facility: Designed for indigenous production of critical ammunition for the Indian Armed Forces. 
  • Equipped with modern manufacturing technologies to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency. 
  • Expected to enhance timely availability of defence supplies during both peace and conflict situations. 
• Export Milestone: During the visit, the Defence Minister flagged off the first tranche of Guided Pinaka rockets for export to Armenia, highlighting India's growing role as a global defence exporter. 
• Aatmanirbharta Vision: The Minister set a target to increase private sector participation in defence manufacturing to 50% or more in the near future. 
• Ending Import Dependency: The facility addresses past challenges where ammunition shortages hampered India’s defence preparedness. 
• Technological Shift: The plant’s high level of automation ensures the production of high-quality, reliable ammunition domestically, reducing the need for foreign procurement. 
• Global Hub Ambition: The government intends to position India as a global manufacturing hub for ammunition, supported by a "unique synergy" between experienced public sector institutions and a rapidly growing private sector.