Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Bharat Electronics Limited(Bel)

Vision: BEL transforming into a Brand

I am delighted to participate in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), a premier defense public sector undertaking of the Government of India. I greet the visionaries, distinguished guests, the Board of Management, the officers, the staff and the support personnel of BEL for creating, maintaining and growing this institution into one of the Mini-Ratnas of the nation. I am aware that BEL has been a very important technological contributor for Indian Armed Forces. Number of electronics, sonar and radar systems produced by BEL have been deployed during the various wars fought by the country and they have been maintained by BEL under trying circumstances when spare parts and components were denied by the western world. I congratulate BEL team on this partnership with the three services.

Growth of BEL during the last five decades

During the last fifty years the BEL has become a multi-locational company having many units across the country, with the strength of over thirteen thousand engineers and skilled personnel. BEL today has are annual turn over of Rs. 2,700 Crores with the steady annual growth rate. This is indeed a good performance. It is today an ISO9001: 2000 certified company.

Products profile

The products of BEL are diverse and span from communication system to complex radars and sonar?s from modularized common communication systems to electronic warfare system for the three services. In addition BEL is also manufacturing microwave components, ASIC?s and VLSI semi-conductor devices. BEL while addressing the high tech needs of the defence, had also kept in mind its commitment to the society. I am happy to see that several broadcast and telecommunication equipments, electronics voting machines and solar products for civil applications are in the list of active products of BEL.

Partnership with DRDO

Recently, I participated in the handing over of SAMYUKTA communication and control block to the Indian Army. This was an excellent model of team effort displayed by DRDO, BEL, ECIL and Corps of Signals of Indian Army in realizing this state-of-the-art Electronic Warfare System in a relatively short time, in spite of many denials. Now that the basic building blocks are indigenously available, user driven multiple systems can be evolved by BEL and other agencies. Similarly, BEL has successfully contributed in the concurrent engineering and development of tempest system in partnership with Defense Avionics Research Establishment. I particularly recall the development of high voltage power supply system for this project, which was a denied item to us from western sources. BEL has also designed and developed the NAG Missile carrier (Namica), thereby acquiring system design capabilities for combat vehicles.

Launching of Indigenous Simputer

Recently, I participated in the launching of indigenously developed Simputer. This was a joint venture between Indian Institute of science, Bharat Electronics, Pico-peta Ltd. and it is the first example of such partnership in the country. This was a visionary job done and now I am happy to note that BEL has played a very significant role in making the product to reach everyone.

Partner in Combating denial

BEL and ISRO had jointly developed the Precision Coherent Monopulse C-Band (PCMC) Radar. This Radar is intended for acquiring and tracking rockets and launch vehicles with high accuracy. The system is designed with state-of-the-art signal processors, a fully coherent radar system with associated tracking algorithm and a very high precision antenna positioning system. These systems were installed in 3 different sites ? two at SHAR, and one at Mauritius.

Societal Mission

One of the civilian application Electronic Voting Machine is a major contribution by BEL for the Indian community. The election to the14th Lok Sabha is the first occasion when all the constituencies will have electronic voting machines. This will be a very significant technological contribution to the society, which will enable ease in voting, fast automatic counting and declaration of results. I congratulate BEL on this maiden achievement.

A new dimension in the progress

Today I am happy to see that BEL is able to successfully work with our research laboratories of various departments and many academic institutions, absorb the technologies developed by them and produce indigenous systems meeting the stringent standards and quality requirements of our defense services and the competitive civil market. While it is time for a mini-ratna like BEL to rejoice on its achievements, it?s also the time to look at the roadmap for the future.

Conclusion

I have been fortunate enough to witness the growth of BEL from its nascent years. I have also been fortunate to have witnessed and being part of the growth of the multiple institutions, where BEL has matured towards the use of technology from national development. With this backdrop, I would like to share with you some suggestions for making Bharat Electronics one of the Indian MNCs.

(a) Transforming into one of the international leader in radar systems by designing and building futuristic multi-function radar capable of detecting 0.1 square meter target at range greater than a thousand kilometer.

(b) BEL has to compete in the world market with their products and services with cost, quality and just-in-time

(c) The future will witness the merger of technological requirements of the defence sector and that of the society. BEL has to foresee this convergence and forge ahead to make its presence felt equally in both sectors. BEL has to have its own ?BEL brand?.

(d) Recognize, nurture and grow designers of excellence for attracting future generation scientists to embark on design tasks.

(e) Increase the per employee turn over of the company to over one crore per year within the next five years.

(f) Create a simulation model of all the systems supplied to services and other customers and provide tele-consultancy and maintenance through simulation of faults in real time.

(g) Be a nodal agency for design and development and production of simulators required by the armed forces for training, maintenance of different systems and also commercial sectors.

(h) Work in partnership with R & D institutions, invest in research, and evolve futuristic knowledge products for both defence and commercial sectors.

When you are celebrating the Golden Jubilee, you must have a vision for next twenty years and beyond. My dream is that you should become one of the multi-billion dollar, Indian Electronic MNC catering to the defence needs of our country and competing in other markets. Also BEL should become a household name in consumer electronic products of certain types.

I wish the BEL community great success in all their missions.

May God Bless You.