NIBE Group inaugurated a state-of-the-art defence manufacturing complex at Shirdi, Maharashtra, in a ceremony on 23 May 2026 attended by the Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis. The event included senior military and government figures and marked a milestone in India’s indigenous defence manufacturing drive. The complex was presented as an integrated facility intended to support advanced artillery, missile and space technologies.

The facility is designed as a next-generation ecosystem for systems including a 155mm ammunition shell plant with an annual capacity of 0.5 million (mn) shells, indigenous production of TNT and RDX, and installations for Bio-CNG and hydrogen fuel. It will also host manufacturing lines for rocket systems and energetic materials alongside autonomous defence platforms and space and satellite technologies. A ceremonial flag-off marked the deployment of Suryastra, described by the company as the first indigenous 300 km universal rocket launching system.

The company also reported successful trials of a 100 km loitering munition and presented the developments as evidence of expanding technological capability in next-generation warfare systems. The Raksha Mantri welcomed the scale of manufacturing and said the project would advance the national objective of Make in India and propel strategic self-reliance in defence production. The Chief Minister underlined the role of the new complex in Maharashtra’s emerging defence corridor and noted the significance of regional manufacturing clusters.

Company leadership outlined a long-term commitment to reduce import dependence in critical defence sectors and to position India as a global manufacturing hub for strategic systems. The project is expected to generate more than 3,000 direct employment opportunities and to foster innovation, collaboration with MSMEs and technology development across the supply chain. The group stated that these capabilities would support national security objectives and contribute to the realisation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.