Indian steel, aluminum and copper companies are pinning their hopes on India’s defense sector to help increase sales.
The government’s “Make in India” campaign, a broad sweep enveloping the entire manufacturing sector, and, as a result, the metals and mining sectors, is expected to boost local raw materials used in defense applications.
The government raised the threshold for foreign direct investment in defense to 49% and has done away with licensing requirements for most items. Several Indian companies such as Tata Steel, Reliance Industries, Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro and others have started identifying areas of defense production their products fit in. They have also started scouting around for foreign partnerships and technology transfers.
International Joint-Venture Partners
One such international player that has in the past shown active interest in this sector is Germany’s ThyssenKrupp AG. The company is reportedly pursuing two interests in the defense field – naval weapons, specifically submarines, and aerospace.
In a recent interview with the Business Standard, Michael Thiemann, CEO of the company’s India region revealed that ThyssenKrupp India Pvt. Ltd was looking to expand its business in not only these segments but was also interested in investing in “smart” cities.
Thiemann said his company was already in discussion with public sector and private shipyards on the submarine front. The CEO let on that his company was open to tying up with private Indian companies such as Larsen and Toubro Ltd. for defense projects.
Project 75
“Project 75,” a plan for the construction of six submarines for the Indian Navy has been in the pipeline for several years now, but with the Make In India campaign it has caught a second wind.
Going by media reports here, the Indian government is likely to shortlist shipyards for the project in about two months. Thiemann said Thyssenkrupp has the technology and expertise and is willing to collaborate with Indian companies, by offering design, engineering and implementation know how.
Thyssenkrupp’s Edge
ThyssenKrupp already makes mining equipment and cement in India. But specifically, where the defense sector is concerned, ThyssenKrupp, say analysts, may have an edge because one of its group companies, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has been a partnering with the Indian Navy for more than two decades. Some of the Indian Navy’s previous submarines were made in India under a technology-transfer agreement in which TKMS was involved.
ThyssenKrupp has already invested in a service center at Bengaluru in South India for material processing of aluminum and titanium used in the manufacture of aircraft. The current revenue size of India’s aerospace business is nothing to write home about, but it is expected to grow because of the decisions made by the government.
Source: Metal Miner