MoD To Pour In Rs 400 Crore To Set Up Modern Defence Equipment Testing Facilities In Partnership With Private Firms

The Centre plans investments to the tune of Rs 400 crore in order to set up modern testing facility for defence equipment, reports The Economic Times. The testing ranges will be set up in partnership with private firms, with the government funding up to 75 per cent of the investment requirement.

The plan, called the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), envisions setting up eight greenfield ranges which will be run by private entities. In furtherance of this objective, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will invite bids from industry consortiums, associations and others.

“Each facility will be setup through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), hereinafter referred to as the Implementation Agency, which may be promoted/constituted by private entities(Industry, Industry association, R&D/Academic institution etc),” reads a notification issued regarding the scheme.

The pilot facility which will be set up will cater to the testing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other ranges which will come up later on will allow for blast testing, software testing, ship motion testing, etc.

It is expected that these testing ranges will be established at the defence corridors being set up by the government in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.