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BEL Eyes Opportunities in Lucrative Nuclear Energy Sector

2008-08-07 Expecting the nuclear deal with US to go through, India's largest defence electronic company Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL) is looking at tapping the lucrative business potential in the atomic energy sector.

The Navratna defence PSU said it was exploring opportunities at the instrumentation part of the nuclear technology as part of its diversification plans. "BEL is looking at instrumentation part of the nuclear technology as one of our diversification areas," Chairman and Managing Director of the company V V R Sastry told PTI here. He said the Indo-US nuclear deal will open up huge technological advantage and investment opportunities for Indian companies and that the BEL was working eagerly to tap the benefits.

"We are actively and eagerly working on this scenario and we want to take advantage out of it for our business diversification plans," Sastry said. Asked whether the company would be interested in entering into any joint ventures with foreign companies, he said the company was looking at 'all alternatives'. "We are looking at all options. We are exploring all alternatives as single approach is not good enough for our growth," he said.

Engineering major Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Anil Ambani's Reliance Power, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Infosys, Wipro and TCS and many other companies are also looking at opportunities to exploit the possible opportunities in the nuclear energy sector. Asked how much money the company plans to pump in for diversification in the area, Sastry declined to divulge details. "It was a historic day for India's radar technology as Rohini is not only a symbol of technological marvel but it is also a symbol of joint effort by DRDO, BEL and IAF," Sastry said.

The BEL chief said around 100 pieces of the radar would be built, with around 20 radars being manufactured every year. Sastry assured the forces that the BEL has surplus capacity to undertake serialised production and its manufacturing facilities were being currently utilised only to an extent of 70 per cent. Major said Rohini will be the mainstay of the IAF's air defence systems along with other sensors.

For the first time, the IAF has also awarded an 'Annual Maintenance Contract' for the Rohini radars to the BEL under which defence PSU will provide maintenance of the system. Addressing the function, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and DRDO chief M Natarajan said Rohini radar is a shining example of the defence-industry synergies. He said the defence sector needs a network of companies which could specialise on extended product range.

Private sector pioneers Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Astra Microwave have collaborated with the BEL and DRDO to provide ancillary inputs to development of the Rohini radar, which is almost indigenously developed barring minor critical components, he said. DRDO's Electronics and Radar Development Establishment Director S Varadarajan said changes would be incorporated into the radar time to time based on end user feedback.

He said Rohini is an indigenous radar as the import component in the radar was kept to bare minimum. "The radar will go a long way for the air defence system. We are happy to know that IAF is going to increase its order," he said.