ISRO has agreed to purchase equipment worth about ₹30 crore for use by Walchandnagar Industries Ltd, for making rocket components. Walchandnagar Industries has been a supplier or rocket components to ISRO for over two decades. For the GSLV Mk III, it supplied motorcases, tankages and end rings.
“ISRO will give us the machines but the machines will be owned by them,” GK Pillai, Managing Director and CEO, Walchandnagar Industries, told Business Line . The will be machines such as vertical boring and precision welding.
Pillai expects guaranteed business for 25 years from ISRO for products made with the machines.
Asked if ISRO’s business was profitable, Pillai said Walchandnagar was not making a loss in supplying to ISRO.
“It is a sexy business that gives you a kick,” he said, adding that the learning from making rocket components could be used elsewhere.