Ordnance Factory Day is annually observed across India by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on 18 March to commemorate the establishment of the 1st Ordnance Factory in India at Cossipore near Kolkata, West Bengal in 1801.
- This Day is dedicated to recognise and honour the contribution of the Indian Ordnance Factories (IOFs) in strengthening India’s defence capabilities.
Indian Ordnance Factories:
i.IOFs is a giant industrial setup functioning under the Department of Defence Production(DDP) of the Ministry of Defence(MoD). It is the oldest and largest industrial setup under the DDP.
ii.OFB is often called the “Fourth Arm of Defence,” along with the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
iii.The Ordnance factories engaged in the production, testing, logistics, research, development and marketing of a comprehensive product range in the area of land, sea and air systems.
Primary objective: Self-reliance in equipping armed forces with cutting-edge battlefield equipment.
History
i.The history and development of IOFs is directly linked with the British rule in India.
ii.In 1775, the British established the Board of Ordnance in Fort William, Kolkata. This marks the official beginning of the Army Ordnance in India.
iii.The first gunpowder factory was set up in Ishapore in 1787, which started production in 1791 (at which location Rifle Factory was established in 1904).
iv.It was followed by the establishment of a Gun Carriage Agency at Cossipore, Kolkata (presently known as Gun & Shell Factory, Cossipore) in 1801 and production began in 1802.
- These marked the inception of Army Ordnance in India.
Note: In 1906, the Administration of Indian Ordnance Factories came under a separate charge as ‘IG of Ordnance Factories’.
Corporatisation of Indian Ordnance Factories
i.In June 2021, the Indian government decided to corporatise the functions of the 41 production units (Ordnance Factories) of OFB.
ii.Management, operations, and maintenance of 41 production units were transferred to 7 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) from October 1, 2021, namely:
- Munitions India Limited; Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited; Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited; Troop Comforts Limited; Yantra India Limited; India Optel Limited; Gliders India Limited.
iii.In pursuance of the decision of the Union Cabinet on June 16, 2021, a Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination & Services) (“Directorate”) was formed on 1 October 2021, as a replacement for the OFB headquarters.
Key Points:
i.IOFs is a conglomerate of 41 Factories, 9 Training Institutes, 3 Regional Marketing Centres and 4 Regional Controller of Safety.
ii.The 41 IOFs in India are divided into 5 operational divisions based on the type of main products or technologies used:
- Ammunition and Explosives
- Weapons, Vehicles, and Equipment
- Materials and Components
- Armoured Vehicles
- Ordnance Equipment
About Ordnance Factory Board (OFB):
Director General Ordnance– Sudhir Srivastava
Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal
Established in- 1979
