UP Promotes Export-oriented Manufacturing Ecosystem in Defence Corridor at EXPO2020 Dubai

Uttar Pradesh delegation at India Pavilion in EXPO2020

Dubai, UAE – Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state, is developing a defence corridor to create a manufacturing ecosystem that will not only support domestic defence enterprises but also develop export-oriented products. The state government’s defence corridor policy is one of the major policies on display in the India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai during the ongoing ‘State Week’, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath on Friday.

Under the Defence Corridor, the state is developing six nodes — Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Kanpur, and Lucknow — with a strong ancillary base to support the needs of defence manufacturing and ensure a continuous supply of raw materials, labor, and other industry needs. The state already has manufacturing bases, such as Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and prominent ordnance factories, such as Bharat Electronics Ltd.

Outlining the business-friendly initiatives associated with the state’s Defence Corridor policy as well as emphasizing R&D and innovation base, Dr Muthukumarasamy B, Special Secretary, Infrastructure & Industrial Development Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, stated, “We have good land parcels available. We have recently allotted land to BrahMos missile and manufacturing unit will be coming in Lucknow. We have allotted land to Bharat Dynamics also. We have nearly 3000 hectares of land proposed to be notified and we will purchase these lands and will be made available to investors.”

To make it easier for the firms investing in the UP Defence Corridor in terms of connectivity, the state nodes are located on the expressways, including the Bundelkhand Expressway, which is nearing completion. “There is no connectivity issue and manufacturing units will be well connected to the expressways,” he further added. “We are mobilizing SME ecosystem, small scale units, which can come and invest. We are developing export-oriented manufacturing base for defence sector. We would like to bridge the market gaps and connect the ancillary units in the state to meet the requirements of defence Public Sector Units.”