The Force Behind Peace
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Defence was established at Hyderabad in the year 1970 to be a manufacturing base for guided missiles and allied defence equipment. Nurtured by a pool of talented engineers drawn from DRDO and aerospace industries, BDL began its journey by producing a 1st Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) — the French SS11B1.
On successful completion of the SS11B1 project, BDL embarked on production of 2nd generation ATGMs — the French Milan2 and Russian Konkurs. These projects were taken up under licence production with technical collaboration from M/s. Euromissile, France and Ms. KBP, Tula, Russia respectively. The lead taken by the Nation to develop indigenous sophisticated and contemporary missiles through the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme gave BDL an opportunity to be closely involved with the programme wherein it was identified as the Prime Production Agency.
BDL, now a Miniratna CategoryI Public Sector Enterprise, is amongst a few industries in the world having capabilities to produce state-of-the-art guided weapon systems. The Company has paid a dividend of 157.22 crore for the financial year 2016-17 to Govt. of India. The dividend paid by the Company works out to 128.67 % of the paid up capital. BDL has achieved a record turnover of 4,886.62 crore for the financial year 2016-17 registering a growth of 17.46 % over the previous year.
BDL currently has three manufacturing units. The first unit is at Hyderabad, the second one in Sangareddy District of Telangana and the third unit, which is dedicated exclusively for the manufacture of underwater weapons, is at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The fourth manufacturing unit of the company is being set up at Amravati District, Maharashtra. BDL plans to produce Very Short Range Air Defence Missile (VSHORAD) at its new unit. The unit is spread over an area of about 530 acres. The fifth unit is being set up at Ibrahimpatnam (near Hyderabad) in Telangana. The Company plans to set up a Surface to Air Missile Defence Project at the new unit. The unit is spread over an area of about 630 acres.
To give an impetus to its expansion plan, BDL has re-located its Corporate Office to Financial District, Gachibowli in Hyderabad during November last year. BDL has taken up several initiatives to fulfil its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The core areas of focus are Health Care, Nutrition, Education & Literacy, Skill Development & Sustainable Livelihoods, Sanitation, Safe Drinking Water etc. BDL has also adopted villages in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State under its CSR initiative and the focus is on the necessities of human life – health, water and other conveniences. Some of
the major activities of BDL under CSR are:
- Education
- Mid Day Meals Scheme being taken up to address issue of Malnutrition among the children especially in the age group 05-14 years. The scheme also addresses the issue of Illiteracy through controlling the increasing no of school dropout in govt. Schools.
- School Furniture have been provided to the govt. Schools in Nalgonda District of Telangana State.
- Health Care: Health care is being provided to the elderly people at Nalgonda district of Telangana state and Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh through Mobile Medicare Units.
- Safe Drinking Water: The Company has commissioned water treatment plants in fluoride-affected areas of Nalgonda District in Telangana state and supplying Safe Drinking Water to the beneficiaries. BDL is also taking care of the maintenance of the water plants.
- Developmental activities in the adopted villages: BDL has adopted villages in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State under Corporate Social Responsibility initiative and the main focus is on the basic necessities of human life – health, water and other conveniences.
- Skill Development: Skill development programs in BDL majorly focus to making youth of the Nation employable and help them to earn a sustainable livelihood. Following are the important programs under skill development initiatives .
BDL is poised to enter new avenues of manufacturing covering a wide range of weapon systems such as: Surface-to-Air Missiles, Air Defence Systems, Heavy Weight Torpedoes, Air-to-Air Missiles etc., making it a world-class defence equipment manufacturer. BDL has also entered into the area of refurbishment and life extension of missiles. The quest for technological excellence has been the guiding principle of the organization and living up to the sobriquet, ‘THE FORCE BEHIND PEACE’.
