Missiles, drones and artillery shells to be made in Maharashtra's Shirdi under Rs 10,000 crore push

Shirdi: Known globally as the sacred abode of Sai Baba of Shirdi, the hustling-bustling temple-town in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district is now preparing to emerge as a major hub for India’s defence and aerospace manufacturing ambitions.

In a striking confluence of bhakti and shakti, Nibe Limited is set to manufacture missiles, drones, artillery shells and optical satellites in the temple town, symbolising the changing face of an aspirational and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The company’s ambitious facility aims to produce five lakh artillery shells of various calibres annually—believed to be the highest production capacity by a private company in India.

The sprawling 200-acre facility of the Nibe Group in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area in Shirdi is buzzing with activity ahead of its formal inauguration by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, State Industries Minister Uday Samant and Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil — an eight-time MLA from Shirdi and Guardian Minister of Ahilyanagar district — will attend the inauguration ceremony.

“Shirdi represents a confluence of bhakti (devotion) and shakti (power). On one hand, it is blessed by the grace of Sai Baba, while on the other we aim to develop Shirdi into a major defence and aerospace manufacturing hub,” Vikhe-Patil said.

Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan is also scheduled to address the MSME Defence Conclave being organised alongside the inauguration.

“We are in the land of Sai Baba. We are here in the service of Bharat Mata. This is part of India’s growth story,” Nibe Group Chairman and Managing Director Ganesh Nibe told DH on Friday.

Hailing from Shirdi and having risen from modest beginnings, Nibe said the company sees itself as part of India’s self-reliance mission in strategic manufacturing.

“At NIBE Group, we firmly believe that the strength of our nation lies in the ideas, energy and determination of students, young engineers and aspiring entrepreneurs,” he said.

The group plans to invest nearly Rs 10,000 crore over the next few years in defence and aerospace manufacturing as it seeks to carve a niche in India’s rapidly expanding private defence sector.

Speaking about the artillery shell production programme, Nibe said achieving an annual output of five lakh shells would be a significant challenge.

“We will do it. The production is meant primarily for exports. However, whenever the Indian armed forces require it, we are ready. Our order book is full for the next five years,” he said.

According to the company, the facility will manufacture 155 mm and L15 artillery shells, 120 mm mortar ammunition and 125 mm rounds.

“In this facility itself, we will manufacture optical satellites, missiles and rockets,” Nibe added.

He further revealed that another ammunition complex in Ahilyanagar district is expected to be commissioned in the coming months.

“We will manufacture TNT, RDX and HMX there,” he said, referring to key explosive materials used in ammunition production.

He said the Nibe Group successfully demonstrated its loitering munition system, Vayu Astra-1, during a series of field trials conducted in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. The company carried out No-Cost, No-Commitment (NCNC) demonstrations at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan in April, followed by additional trials in the Joshimath-Malari sector of Uttarakhand.

The group also successfully demonstrated the firing capability of its long-range Suryastra rocket systems at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, further strengthening its presence in India’s emerging private-sector defence manufacturing ecosystem.