Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited, a defence and aerospace manufacturing company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Solar Group, inaugurated a new medium calibre ammunition manufacturing facility in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 18 January 2026, marking an expansion of domestic ammunition production capacity and export-oriented missile manufacturing.
The newly inaugurated facility is a fully automated plant designed to manufacture 30 millimetre ammunition used by the Indian Army and the Indian Navy. During the inauguration, the first tranche of Guided Pinaka rockets manufactured at the Nagpur complex was flagged off for export to Armenia, indicating the commencement of overseas deliveries from the facility.
According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, the facility forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen indigenous ammunition manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports. The site integrates end-to-end manufacturing capabilities on a single campus, covering processes beyond final assembly.
During the inauguration, Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman of Solar Industries India Ltd, outlined its role in import substitution for critical missile components, including the domestic manufacture of selected parts previously sourced from overseas suppliers. It currently produces rocket boosters and motor cases for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile programme, with a supply rate of six boosters per month, and could begin manufacturing warheads for the system in the coming period.
The facility is also involved in the production of components for the Guided Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system, distinct from the unguided Pinaka variant. In addition, it manufactures motor segments for strategic missile systems, including Agni Prime and Agni-5, covering both large first-stage motors and smaller upper-stage motors(A1 P1 Motor: A large motor segment containing 12 tons of solid propellant and P2 Motor: A smaller stage motor containing 1.5 tons of propellant). It currently supplies propulsion systems for the Pralay surface-to-surface missile and has the capability to undertake full system integration of 2 fully integrated Pralay missiles per month if contracted.
In remarks during the event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the government aims to increase the private sector’s share in defence manufacturing to 50 percent or more over time, citing the need for greater private participation in production and research and development. He said the growing complexity of modern warfare underscores the requirement for a robust domestic defence industrial base supported by both public and private enterprises.
The minister highlighted specific products developed by the company, citing them as examples of growing private sector capability in defence manufacturing. He referred to the Multi-Mode Hand Grenade, described as a fully indigenous ammunition system manufactured by the private sector and handed over to the Indian Army in 2021, and said it reflected progress in domestic production. He also mentioned Nagastra drones developed by the Solar Group, stating that they were used during Operation Sindoor and “accurately struck terrorist targets,” demonstrating their operational capability. Singh further noted the successful test launch of the Bhargavastra counter-drone system under development by the company, and said the start of Pinaka rocket exports from the facility showed that defence products manufactured in India were entering overseas markets.
The defence minister said India’s domestic defence production has increased from INR 464.25 billion in 2014 to approximately INR 1.51 trillion at present, with over INR 330 billion contributed by private sector companies. He added that defence exports have risen from below INR 10 billion a decade ago to about INR 240 billion, reflecting expanding manufacturing and export capabilities.
Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited said the Nagpur facility supports its broader strategy to expand indigenous defence manufacturing, research and development, and system-level capabilities across ammunition, missiles, and counter-drone technologies.
Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited is engaged in the manufacture of ammunition, missile propulsion systems, and defence platforms, with operations supporting domestic armed forces requirements and defence exports.