HYDERABAD: Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and MBDA of the UK signed an agreement on Tuesday to establish a facility for the Final Assembly, Integration and Test (FAIT) of Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) missiles in India. Under the licensing agreement, MBDA will transfer the equipment and knowledge to BDL for establishing the facility, which is expected to be functional by 2022-23.
The agreement was signed by Director (Technical) of BDL NP Diwakar, and International Industrial Cooperation Director from MBDA George Kyriakides, in the presence of Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd), CMD, BDL at a virtual ceremony. BDL will be manufacturing ASRAAM, which is among the within-visual-range missiles available in India, at its Bhanur Unit for domestic use and export in future through MBDA.
The new facility will provide India with the ability to carry out final assembly, integration and test of ASRAAM missiles. Commodore Mishra said that the signing of the licensing agreement reinforces the BDL’s commitment to contribute towards ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar’ initiatives of the Government of India in the Defence sector.