OFB accelerates production due to increased demand amid Pakistan tensions

The Ordnance Factory Board has revived the anti-aircraft guns production and has also received some extra demand for 'some items' in the wake of the border tension with Pakistan, a top OFB official said Wednesday. "There has been demand for some items which cannot be revealed and we are fulfilling," OFB chairman Saurabh Kumar said when asked whether there had been some extra activity in the OFB plants post the Pulwama terror attack.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of CII annual regional meeting he said the cumulative order book of OFB factories will be around Rs 50,000 crore "In Cossipur Gun and Shell factory, we will revive anti-aircraft guns as there is demand from here (Indian army) and outside," he said. Kumar did not reveal any further details.

The plant began production of anti-aircraft guns from 1962 and established the capability for 12.7 mm air defence guns in 1999. Production of anti-aircraft guns was discontinued some years ago due to lack of demand for a long time by the defence forces, Kumar said.

The OFB had received worth Rs 1,000 crore order for production of 114 'Dhanush' artillery guns from the Indian Army and the Defence Ministry. "We got clearance for bulk production two weeks back. This is first India made long-range artillery gun and the prototype had indigenization of 81 per cent. Final commercial assembly of these guns will take place in the Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur," Kumar said. "The steel forging, casting for main the components like gun barrels will take place in metal and steel factory Inchapur," he said.