Hyderabad, Jan 14: Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, on Sunday, ceremoniously launched the Astra missile, an indigenous creation, to be supplied to the Indian Air Force. The event took place at Bharat Dynamics Ltd’s (BDL) Kanchanbagh Unit in Hyderabad, featuring the presence of BDL CMD, Commodore A. Madhavarao (Retd), Director General of Missiles & Strategic Systems (DGMSS) U. Raja Babu, and senior officials from DRDO, the Indian Air Force, and BDL.
Astra, a beyond visual range air-to-air missile, stands out as a stellar achievement in indigenous defense development by the DRDO and subsequent manufacturing by BDL for the Indian Air Force. Acknowledged globally as the best in its class among air-to-air missiles, Astra boasts a range exceeding 100 km.
This flag-off ceremony marks a significant milestone for BDL, placing it among a select group of global companies with the capacity to manufacture state-of-the-art air-to-air missiles. Minister Ajay Bhatt commended BDL for its dedication to realizing the production of the indigenously developed missile, aligning with the government’s Atmanirbhar policy. He expressed appreciation for BDL’s contribution to enhancing the country’s defense exports.
CMD Madhavarao emphasized BDL’s commitment to ‘Make in India’ with maximum indigenous content. He revealed that BDL has received numerous inquiries from friendly foreign countries for the Astra Weapon System. BDL has enhanced its manufacturing capability to meet both domestic and international demands of Astra missiles simultaneously. Additionally, he informed that the recent Akash NG missile test, conducted by DRDO on January 12, was manufactured at BDL, including the state-of-the-art radio frequency seeker.
Simultaneously, Minister Bhatt visited DRDO’s Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex and Research Centre Imarat (RCI). He reviewed ongoing missile technologies and related programs, where DGMSS Raja Babu briefed him on various technological developments. Lab Directors of DRDL, ASL, and RCI explained critical systems and technologies developed by them. Minister Bhatt congratulated DRDO scientists for recent successful missions, emphasizing DRDO’s potential as a world leader in exporting weapon systems.
He underscored the need for tapping into DRDO’s knowledge and infrastructure by MSMEs and private industries, envisioning the establishment of a self-reliant defense industrial ecosystem in the country. Bhatt emphasized DRDO’s role in making India a world leader in exporting weapon systems to other nations.
