L&T Defense & Aerospace, India’s biggest private sector defense company, has notified that 50% of its sourcing is taking place from SMEs.
By Baishakhi Dutta
Senior Vice President and Head of L&T Defense & Aerospace Jayant D Patil opined that the company is focusing on areas including warships, submarines, communications, engineering equipment, artillery and missile systems.
He also mentioned that currently, the company has 1,100 SME partners for their eight defense manufacturing plants spread across the country. But L&T treats about 70-80 of them as partners with placement of repeat orders.
He pointed out that no PSU can match with L&T in this aspect of ecosystem creation, as it is sourcing 50% of components from SMEs.
Patil also surmised that the company is committed to, and is focusing on indigenisation, having begun as partner to DRDO three decades ago to design and develop indigenous technologies and products.