PSU, France's Safran Ink Pact to Make Defence System

• IOL teams up with Safran Electronics & Defence to produce the SIGMA 30N and CM3-MR systems in India
• IOL will manage manufacturing, assembly, and support, ensuring systems meet Indian Army requirements
• The deal supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat by reducing import dependency and fostering technology transfer in defence

In a significant move aligned with the Make-in-India initiative, India Optel Limited (IOL), a Mini Navratna defence public sector undertaking (DPSU), has entered into a collaboration with Safran Electronics & Defence, a leading French company to produce these two advanced combat tested defence systems in India.

Specifically, the two defence systems being produced are the SIGMA 30N Digital Ring Laser Gyro Inertial Navigation System, which is an all-weather navigation system that is widely used in gun artillery, air defence systems, missiles and radars, as well as the CM3-MR Direct Firing Sight, specifically designed for use in artillery and anti-drone applications.

The SYMGA 30N system offers significant improvements in battlefield accuracy and operational effectiveness, while the CM3-MR offers improved targeting and accuracy in both land and air operations by providing a mobile, compact unit that is resistant to all-weather and environmental conditions.

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The agreement was signed by Tushar Tripathi, Chairman and Managing Director of IOL, and Alexandre Ziegler, Head of the Defence Global Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defence, in the presence of Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), Government of India.

The two companies continued their partnership as a result of a Initial Agreement signed between the two parties in January 2024 and confirmed their commitment to co-develop and manufacture cutting-edge technologies for the future of Indian Defence Industries.

As part of the Agreement, IOL will take care of the manufacture, final assembly, testing, quality assurance and life-cycle support of the systems to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Army.

This partnership again will help decrease the dependency on imported products, help to transfer knowledge and technology, and increase the self-sufficiency of Indian Defence capabilities in accordance with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.