Uttar Pradesh Government Defence Deals

• 08 Jul 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government has signed more than 154 defence manufacturing deals worth Rs 25,000 crore.

Key Points

• According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD),  India’s annual defence production is Rs 1.27 trillion in 2023-24 (FY24), which is 16.7% higher than 2023.
• The defence projects are coming up in the mega UP Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) spanning six nodes of Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Chitrakoot and Agra districts.
  • The Corridor’s nodal agency UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has signed 154 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with different companies such as Adani Defence and Aerospace, BrahMos Aerospace, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), etc.
• Uttar Pradesh is actively promoting defence manufacturing to drive its 'Make in UP' initiative. 
  • The state aims to leverage its extensive Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) base to catalyze this effort 
• A total of 35,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles, assembled at the Korwa factory in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh, have been given to the Indian Army by the Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited joint venture. 
• Another Indo-Russia joint venture plant is coming up in Lucknow to manufacture BrahMos missiles for the Indian defence forces.
  • BrahMos is a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPOM (Non-Profit Organisation Mashinostroyeniya) to develop next-generation supersonic missiles for the Indian forces.

Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC)

• It is an aspirational project that intends to reduce foreign dependence on the Indian Aerospace & Defence Sector. It was inaugurated in 2018.
• The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) was made the nodal agency to execute this project in conjunction with various other state agencies.

The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA)

• It is an authority set up in 2007 by the Government of Uttar Pradesh to develop expressway projects in the state.
• The headquarters of UPEIDA is located at Paryatan Bhawan in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.