Economic Explosives Establishes New Drone Manufacturing Facility in Nagpur
A drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing facility was inaugurated at Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries, in Nagpur. The facility focuses on producing advanced systems, including loitering munitions, counter-drone technologies, and UAVs for military and civil applications.
The company has delivered 480 units of its loiter munition system, Nagastra-1, to the Indian Army under an emergency procurement contract. Nagastra-1 is equipped with GPS-enabled precision strike capabilities, a recovery mechanism for reuse, and can operate in both offensive and defensive roles.
The facility has an annual production capacity of 1,000 loitering munitions and includes infrastructure for environmental testing. A dedicated 1.25-km runway for testing Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs is nearing completion.
Solar Industries plans to invest INR 10,000 crore over the next ten years to expand its defense production capabilities, aligning with national efforts to promote self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
This development underscores the growing importance of drones in modern warfare and surveillance, with their role increasingly recognized in global and regional conflicts.