News from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

Record turnover of Rs. 15,000 crores

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has achieved a turnover of about Rs.15000 cr (Provisional and Unaudited), during the Financial Year 2021-22, against the previous year’s turnover of Rs. 13,818 cr, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and global semiconductors shortage.

BEL’s order book as on 1 April 2022, is around Rs. 57000 cr. In the year 2021-22, BEL secured significant orders worth (approx.) Rs.18000 cr. Some of the major orders acquired during the year were Avionics Pack for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Advanced Electronic Warfare Suite for Fighter Aircraft, Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR), Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), Cdr TIT90 Tank, COMINT System, Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) and Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) for C-295 Programme, Electronic Gun, IoT Gateway, etc. Some of the flagship projects executed during FY 2021-22 were Missile Systems (Air Defence Weapon System and LRSAM), Command and Control Systems, Communication and Encryption products, various Sonars, Electro-optic Systems, Fire Control Systems, Gun Upgrades, various Radars, Electronic Warfare Systems, Coastal Surveillance System, Un-manned Systems, Home Land Security Systems, Smart City projects, K-FON, Medical Electronics, etc. BEL achieved export sales of around US$ 32.26 Million during FY 2021-22. Major products exported included Coastal Surveillance System, Trans-Receive (TR) Modules, EO-IR Payload System, Compact Multi-Purpose Advanced Stabilization System (EOS CoMPASS), Solar Hybrid Power Plant, Data Link, Electro-Mechanical parts, Low Band Receivers (LBREC), Medical Electronics, Spares for Radars, etc.

Expansion activities at BEL

As part of expansion of the existing unit, BEL has taken up establishment of an Advance Night Vision Products Factory in Nimmaluru Village, Pamarru Mandal, Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh in an area of around 50 acres, to cater to the futuristic requirements for Night Vision Products. The new factory is likely to create direct and indirect employment for around 500 people.

BEL signs contracts worth Rs. 3,102 cr with MoD

India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed two contracts worth Rs. 3,102 crores with the Bengaluru and Hyderabad Units of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The MoD and BEL-Bengaluru concluded a contract for supply of Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) suite for fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The overall cost of the contract is estimated to be Rs. 1,993 crores. The supply of advanced EW systems will significantly enhance the battle-survivability of IAF fighter aircraft while undertaking operational missions against adversaries’ ground-based as well as airborne fire control and surveillance radars. The EW suite has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The MoD also signed a contract with BEL-Hyderabad for Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR) for the Indian Air Force. The contract is a significant step towards enhancing the capabilities of IAF to prepare for future warfare. The overall cost of the contract is estimated to be Rs. 1,109 crores. The IEWR will be used to test and evaluate airborne Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment and validate their deployment in an operational scenario.

BEL and Army Design Bureau sign MoU

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Army Design Bureau of Indian Army for collaboration in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Defence applications on 30 March 2022. The MoU seeks to bring together the Indian Army, ADB and BEL under one roof to jointly carry out research activities for the development of innovative AI solutions for the Indian Army. BEL and ADB will co-develop AI based projects for the Indian Army.