Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made a bold declaration on June 19, 2026, at the Yantra India Limited Ordnance Factory in Ambajhari, Nagpur. He stated that Nagpur and Vidarbha will emerge as a key node in India’s Nagpur Vidarbha defence manufacturing hub 2026 vision. His remarks came at the bhoomi pujan ceremony of the 10,000-tonne Aluminium Extrusion Press — one of the most advanced defence manufacturing facilities to be established anywhere in India.
What Fadnavis Said About Nagpur’s Defence Future
Fadnavis expressed confidence that the Extrusion Press will help Nagpur and the entire region become an important player in achieving the goal of self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
He described this project as a direct realisation of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat vision. He said the growing collaboration between Defence Public Sector Undertakings and the private sector is taking the nation to greater heights. For Nagpur, which already hosts Solar Industries and the Yantra India Limited headquarters, this project adds another critical layer to the city’s defence manufacturing credentials.
Operation Sindoor Referenced as Proof of New India
Fadnavis pointed towards recent strategic milestones as proof of India’s evolution. He said that when Operation Sindoor was done, the entire world saw India’s progress and its strategic capability. The entire world now believes that India is a country which cannot be played with.
He described Operation Sindoor as a shining example of the technological prowess and unique capabilities of New India. He added that this is not old India but New India — a nation that is moving forward with confidence, capability, and self-reliance at every step.
Rajnath Singh’s Warning About War-Time Supply Chains
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh used the occasion to deliver a clear message about the strategic importance of domestic production. Singh noted that when wars break out, the entire supply system gets impacted, making indigenisation crucial for national security.
He stated that a nation capable of meeting its own requirements moves forward with the greatest confidence towards safeguarding its interests, emphasising that the new facility represents a monumental shift in India’s approach to defence readiness.
Rajnath Singh also cited the success of the corporatisation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board, noting that production has increased from Rs 12,755 crore in FY 2019-20 to Rs 26,282 crore in FY 2025-26. Defence exports from the former OFB entities have grown from Rs 81 crore before corporatisation to Rs 4,561 crore, with Yantra India Limited contributing Rs 397 crore.
What the 10,000-Tonne Press Will Manufacture
The proposed extrusion press will be among the most advanced facilities of its kind in India and will manufacture large and complex aluminium alloy profiles required for defence systems, fighter aircraft, missile programmes, aerospace structures, railways, and other strategic industries.
The project will help reduce dependence on imports of critical aluminium extruded components and support indigenous manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
Until now, India has been importing a significant share of these precision aluminium profiles from abroad, making the supply chain vulnerable during times of conflict or geopolitical tension. The Nagpur facility will eliminate this vulnerability for some of India’s most critical defence programmes.
About Yantra India Limited and Its Nagpur Connection
Yantra India Limited is a major Indian public sector defence company, headquartered at Ordnance Factory Ambajhari, Nagpur. It was founded on October 1, 2021, as part of the government’s restructuring of the Ordnance Factory Board.
The company’s divisions span multiple facilities across the country including Ordnance Factory Ambarnath, Ordnance Factory Bhusawal, Ordnance Factory Dum Dum, Ordnance Factory Katni, Ordnance Factory Muradnagar, Metal and Steel Factory Ishapore, and Grey Iron Foundry Jabalpur.
With its headquarters already based in Nagpur, the addition of the 10,000-tonne Aluminium Extrusion Press makes the city’s Ambajhari campus one of the most strategically important defence production sites in the entire country.
India’s Defence Production Numbers Tell the Story
The scale of India’s defence manufacturing transformation over the past decade makes the Nagpur project all the more significant. Domestic defence production has grown from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 1,78,000 crore, while exports have surged to Rs 40,000 crore.
These numbers reflect the cumulative impact of policy decisions, investment in public sector facilities like YIL, and the growing role of private sector players. For Nagpur, being at the centre of this story through both Solar Industries and Yantra India Limited is a matter of enormous civic and economic pride.
Why This Matters for Nagpur and Vidarbha
For decades, Vidarbha’s industrial growth has lagged behind western Maharashtra. The establishment of a world-class aluminium extrusion facility for defence at Nagpur changes the equation. It brings high-technology manufacturing employment, attracts allied industries, and strengthens the case for further investment in the region.
CM Fadnavis’s declaration that Nagpur and Vidarbha will become a major centre of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem is now backed by a concrete project that is officially underway.
