Nagpur: The Second Capital of the State witnessed a major leap in India’s defence manufacturing capabilities with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing facility by Solar Industries. Established by its subsidiary, Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), the facility was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Saturday, January 11, marking a significant step in India’s pursuit of self-reliance in defence technology.

The cutting-edge facility is dedicated to producing indigenous drones, UAVs, loiter munitions, and counter-drone systems. While Indian companies have made progress in drones for surveillance and logistics, the development of combat-ready UAVs and weaponised drone technologies has lagged. Solar Industries aims to address this gap with systems tailored for military applications, including drone-based mine detection and disposal, loiter munitions, and counter-drone solutions.

A standout innovation at the facility is Nagastra-1, India’s first indigenous loiter munition, now part of the Indian Army’s infantry arsenal. EEL has delivered 480 units of this GPS-enabled precision strike system under an emergency procurement contract. The Nagastra-1 offers pinpoint accuracy of up to two meters and features a parachute recovery system for reuse if the mission is aborted or the target is not located.

Building on the success of Nagastra-1, the facility is advancing the development of Nagastra-2 and Nagastra-3. These next-generation systems, being developed under the ‘Make 2’ initiative, promise enhanced capabilities, including greater warhead-carrying capacity and improved performance.

The launch of this facility underscores India’s commitment to strengthening its defence infrastructure and reducing dependence on foreign technologies. With innovations like Nagastra-1 and its successors, Solar Industries is poised to play a pivotal role in bolstering the nation’s defence capabilities.