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Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence has taken a major step by signing an agreement with German arms company Rheinmetall AG. This agreement is to supply explosives such as artillery shells and ammunition from a factory which will be established in Maharashtra. The partnerships objective is to make India self-reliant in the field of defence production and make it among the worlds major arms exporters. It will also create one more challenge for weak Pakistan which has been dependent on China. Reliance Infrastructure Ltd-promoted Reliance Defence Ltd (Reliance Defence) and Dusseldorf-based Rheinmetall AG have agreed on a strategic partnership in the field of ammunition. An Agreement to this effect has now been signed by the representatives of both companies the Indian firm said in a statement. This is the third defence tie-up by the group after joint ventures with Dassault Aviation and Thales of France. The collaboration between the companies will include the supply of explosives and propellants for medium and large calibre ammunition to Rheinmetall by Reliance it said. Furthermore the two companies intend to engage in joint marketing activities for selected products and may extend their cooperation based on future opportunities. The EUR 80 billion Rheinmetall AG excels in critical domains such as armoured vehicles infantry fighting vehicles advanced air defence systems and state-of-the-art ammunition technology. At the pinnacle of its portfolio is the Leopard 2A7 widely recognised as one of the most sophisticated main battle tanks worldwide. The strategic partnership will strengthen Indias defence manufacturing capabilities aligning with the governments flagship Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. It advances the vision to position India among the worlds leading defence exporters. In order to support this collaboration Reliance Defence Ltd will set up a greenfield manufacturing facility in the Watad Industrial Area of Ratnagiri Maharashtra. The manufacturing facility one of the largest in South Asia will have an annual capacity to produce up to 200000 artillery shells 10000 tonnes of explosives and 2000 tonnes of propellants the statement said without giving details of investment to be made. This new facility will help Reliance Defence achieve its objective of being among the top three Defence exporters in the country. The cooperation gives Rheinmetall further access to important raw materials and secures not only its supply chains but also the interest of its customers but also creates further growth opportunities. In India the new state-of-the-art facility will make a significant contribution to supplying the countrys armed forces it said. The defence manufacturing complex will contribute to supporting Indias ambitious defence export target of Rs 50000 crore by 2029. Armin Papperger CEO of Rheinmetall AG emphasised that this strategic partnership of Rheinmetall with Reliance Defence led by Anil Ambanis Reliance Group illustrates our strong commitment to partner with India under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Anil D Ambani founder and Chairman Reliance Group said: We are proud to partner with Rheinmetall AG one of the worlds most respected leaders in defence manufacturing and to collaborate with visionary leader Armin Papperger. This strategic partnership brings cutting-edge capabilities to India marking a transformational moment for the countrys private defence manufacturing sector. Guided by the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat as championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the objective is to position Reliance Defence among the top 3 defence exporters enabling India to not only meet its domestic defence needs but also emerge as a key player in the global defence supply chain he said. This project marks a major step in the Reliance Groups long-term strategy to invest in the fast-growing defence manufacturing sector. The DADC is being built in the Watad industrial area in Ratnagiri Maharashtra and once completed will be the largest greenfield project in the defence sector ever developed by any private company in India.  (With Inputs From PTI)