India Optel Limited, a defence public sector undertaking, has signed a collaboration agreement with Safran Electronics & Defense to enable the manufacture of two high-precision systems in India, marking a shift from overseas procurement to domestic production for critical land warfare technologies. The agreement was signed on 22 December 2025 in New Delhi and covers the transfer of production for navigation and direct firing sight systems used across artillery, air defence, and missile platforms.
According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, the collaboration provides for local manufacturing of the SIGMA 30N digital ring laser gyro inertial navigation system and the CM3-MR direct firing sight. The agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies in January 2024 and formalises the transition to production and long-term support within India.
Under the terms of the partnership, India Optel Limited will undertake manufacturing, final assembly, testing, quality control, and full life-cycle support of the systems. The production arrangement is intended to ensure sustained availability and operational readiness for the Indian Army, while reducing dependence on overseas supply chains for maintenance and spares.
The SIGMA 30N is a digital inertial navigation system based on ring laser gyro technology and is designed to provide accurate positioning and orientation without reliance on satellite navigation signals. It uses Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) technology. Unlike mechanical gyroscopes that have moving parts and wear out, RLGs use laser beams traveling in opposite directions within a closed path to detect rotation. Such systems are used in artillery guns, air defence systems, missile launchers, and radar platforms to enable rapid deployment and precise targeting.
The CM3-MR is a direct firing sight intended for artillery guns and anti-drone roles, providing electro-optical capabilities for engaging visible targets in both daytime and low-visibility conditions.
Safran Electronics & Defense will provide technical expertise and support as part of the transfer of production. By combining Safran’s experience in inertial navigation and fire-control technologies with IOL’s manufacturing infrastructure, the collaboration aims to support domestic production of complex defence electronics and optronics.
The agreement is expected to contribute to the broader effort to localise critical subsystems that are central to modern artillery and air defence operations. Local production is intended to improve turnaround times for maintenance and upgrades and support the scaling of deployment across multiple platforms used by the Indian Army.
India Optel Limited was established following the restructuring of the Ordnance Factory Board and focuses on the manufacture of opto-electronic equipment and related defence systems for the Indian armed forces. Safran Electronics & Defense is a France-based company specialising in inertial navigation, optronics, and defence electronics for military and aerospace applications.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi on 22 December 2025 by Tushar Tripathi, Chairman and Managing Director of India Optel Limited, and Alexandre Ziegler, Head of the Defence Global Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense, in the presence of Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production).
