 | |
| Company type | Public Sector Undertaking |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defence Production |
| Predecessor | Ordnance Factory Board |
| Founded | 1 October 2021; 4 years ago (2021-10-01) |
| Headquarters | Ammunition Factory Khadki,, |
Key people | Sanjay Hazari (Chairman & Managing Director) Rakesh Ojha (Director Operations & Director HR) |
| Products | |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Divisions |
|
| Website | https://munitionsindia.in |
Munitions India Limited (MIL) is an Indian state-owned defence company, headquartered inPune, India, established in 2021 as part of the restructuring and corporatisation of theOrdnance Factory Board into seven differentPublic Sector Undertakings.[1][2][3] Munitions India primarily manufacturesammunition,explosives,rockets andbombs for the use of theIndian Armed Forces, foreign militaries and domestic civilian use.
The budget allocated for MIL has seen an increase in the 2020s. The defencePSU was allocated a budget of Rs 577 crore in FY2023, Rs 580 crore in FY2024 (RE), and Rs 745.45 crore in FY2025, the highest among the seven defence PSUs. This is a part of the infrastructure modernisation plan, and to increase the war reserves of the Indian Armed Forces to sustain long-drawn wars. The sum is to be invested in modernising equipment, increasing production capacity, and including new manufacturing lines for ammunition of 30mm and 40mmgrenade launchers.[4]
Some notable products of Munitions India include:[5]
As of February 2020,IIT Madras, in partnership withIIT Kanpur,Armament Research and Development Establishment andResearch Centre Imarat, is working on redesigning an existing155 mm shell usingramjet propulsion that can cover 60 km+ range. It will be made compatible withHaubits FH77,Dhanush,K9 Vajra-T andATAGS. The shell will incorporate a Precision Guidance Kit for trajectory correction. IIT Madras will ensure that Munitions India can manufacture the shells. A number of technological advances have already been verified. The development team is awaiting product validation and prototyping now that the design is complete. Prototype is expected to be developed within three to four years.[7]
The project was started in 2020 by partnering with theArmy Technology Board. Early trials of a scaled down system was conducted from an IIT Madras developed 76 mm gun confirmed the fundamental idea. Internal and external ballistics were validated by subsequent testing carried out in September 2025 at theSchool of Artillery, which successfully demonstrated clean gun exit, stable flight, and ramjet activation.[8][9]
With this approach, the range of conventional shells will be enhanced by 30–50% without losing their lethality. It was approved by the Army Technology Board. It can be retrofitted onto all the existing 155 mm artillery shells. As of December 2025, developmental tests atPokhran Field Firing Range and IIT Madras had been successful, showing that the shell can depart the gun efficiently at wider operational zones.[10]
By 12 January 2026, IIT Madras successfully conducted successful in-house tests of the ramjet unit. The ramjet engine was incorporated into an in-service 155 mm artillery shell, replacing the traditionalbase bleed unit. The project is led by IIT MadrasAerospace Engineering department faculty P.A. Ramakrishna and retired Indian Army officerLt General P R Shankar among others.[8] Range improvements were demonstrated in trials carried out on different artillery platforms. The range inK9 Vajra-T increased from 36 km to approximately 62 km, inDhanush, the range is from approximately 30 km to approximately 55 km, and inATAGS, it is from approximately 40 km to nearly 70 km.[11] Asimilar technology is expected to be developed forrocket artillery.[8]
The development of 155 mm Smart Ammunition for theRegiment of Artillery by Munitions India andIIT Madras was reported in February 2024. The period of development is roughly two years. The goal is to improve the accuracy and lethality of artillery shells during terminal impact. The smart shell can be launched from155 mm 39- and 45-calibre guns includingDhanush,ATAGS and K9 Vajra-T. It will achieve acircular error probable (CEP) of 10 m (33 ft) against 500 m (1,600 ft) CEP for conventional shells. It requires housing of miniaturize electronics and sensors package with guidance, navigation, andcontrol system. To improve accuracy, the smart artillery round will useNavIC, with aGPS backup. It will be interoperable with all of theIndian Army's artillery guns to accommodate various tactical requirements. The smart shell will incorporate three-mode fuse operation, fin stabilization, andcanard control.[12] A minimum range of 8 km (5.0 mi) and a maximum range of 38 km (24 mi) are anticipated. The smart shell will have three explosion modes: delayed, height of burst, and point detonation.[13][14][15][16]
The UAE purchased 40,000 and 50,000 155 mm artillery ammunition in 2017 and 2019, respectively. In 2017 and 2019, the order was valued at approximately $40 million and $46 million, respectively. The known buyers of 155 mm shells have been theUnited Arab Emirates andArmenia. Unidentified European nation—likelyPoland orSlovenia—just bought the artillery munitions, as per reports in February 2024.[17][18]
Videos from Ukraine have recently surfaced, showing the artillery ammunition manufactured in India being used byUkrainian forces inRusso-Ukrainian War. Social media posts in both the Russian and Ukrainian languages reported what seemed to be Indian 155mm artillery shells likely falling into Ukraine. It was rumored that the weaponry consisted of MIL-produced HE ERFB BT shells.[17][19]
MIL and its partner, Nadrah Company, inked a $225 million deal at World Defense Show 2024 to provide artillery ammunition toSaudi Arabia.[20]
As of March 2024, Munitions India has export orders worth ₹6,000 crore, to be supplied till 2026-27. The leading customers are UAE, Vietnam, and one undisclosed country from Europe.[21]
In 2023 and early 2024, the company exported 500 tonnes of explosive to Germany'sRheinmetall.[22] An initial shipment of 144 tonnes of explosive was done in October 2023. Two additional shipments were undertaken with the final shipment in March 2024.[23]
In FY 2023-24, about Rs. 2,000 crores (i.e. 28.5%) of contracts of MIL contracts were from export orders. The total business for the same period was of Rs. 7,000 crore by value.[4]