New Delhi: Anil Ambani, chairman of Reliance Infrastructure, is making a significant push into India's defense manufacturing sector with the launch of an integrated project in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, for the production of explosives, ammunition, and small arms. The company plans to invest nearly Rs 10,000 crore over the next decade to establish India’s largest integrated defense project in Maharashtra.

The firm has secured 1,000 acres of land in the Watad Industrial Area of Ratnagiri to develop the Dhirubhai Ambani Defence City (DADC), according to a company statement. "Reliance Infrastructure will invest over Rs 10,000 crore in the next 10 years," the statement added. The company has already exported defense equipment worth more than Rs 1,000 crore through its subsidiaries.

With this initiative, Anil Ambani aims to increase his presence in the defense manufacturing space, an area where his elder brother, Mukesh Ambani, has yet to enter. Notably, Anil's Reliance Infrastructure (R-Infra) already has joint ventures with French defense companies Dassault Aviation and Thales.

The project will involve a joint venture with six leading global defense firms to produce small, medium, and large-caliber arms, as well as terminally guided munitions for both civilian and military use. "DADC will be the largest greenfield defense project in India by any private sector company," the statement said. This move places R-Infra alongside other major players in the defense sector like Tata Group, Adani, and Larsen & Toubro. Additionally, its subsidiaries, Jai Armaments Ltd and Reliance Defence Ltd, have already received government licenses for arms and ammunition manufacturing.