Reliance Defence to set up R&D centre for aerospace technology

ADAG Chairman Anil Ambani said the proposed centre will generate more than 1,500 highly skilled jobs

Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani today announced setting up of a centre for research, development and innovation in aerospace technology.

Speaking at the 'Invest Karnataka 2016' meet, Ambani said the proposed centre, to be set up under Reliance Defence, will generate more than 1,500 highly skilled jobs and support government's plan for indigenous design, development and manufacturing of defence equipments.

Reliance Group, he said has so far invested nearly Rs 5,000 crore in Karnataka across a wide array of sectors, from telecom to energy to entertainment to financial services and now defence, and created nearly 5,000 jobs.

"But we are ready for much more. And I am here today to make a big commitment in that direction by announcing Dhirubhai Ambani Centre for Innovation and Research in Aerospace," he said. "We are proposing to set up a Global Centre of Aerospace Excellence here in Whitefield, Bengaluru."

Stating that Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft and Sixth Generation technologies are already finding applications, he said the centre, the first-ever of its kind in the private sector in India, will be a world class facility for research, development and innovation in aerospace technology.

"For India to emerge as a strong Military power, it is important that we cut down our dependencies for military hardware. It is even more important that we start developing and designing the cutting edge systems," he said.

Ambani said the centre will also support the Government's "plan to accord the highest priority for Indigenous Design, Development and Manufacturing (IDDM) for Defence equipment."

Last month, Ambani had announced setting up of a new naval shipbuilding facility with an initial investment of Rs 5,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh.

The facility, to be set up at Rambilli along the East Coast near Vizag, would also lead to creation of a multi-tier array of defence ancillaries with further investments of Rs 5,000-10,000 crore and thousands of skilled jobs, he had said.