~Adani Defence & Aerospace wins the SIDM Champion Award 2026 for defence export excellence, highlighting India’s growing defence manufacturing and export capabilities.
New Delhi, October 10 (VNI): Adani Defence & Aerospace has won the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) Champion Award 2026 for Export Performance in Defence and Aerospace, recognising its contribution to strengthening India’s defence manufacturing capabilities and expanding defence exports. The award was presented at SIDM’s eighth annual session in New Delhi on Saturday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General (Acquisition) A. Anbarasu.
Adani Defence & Aerospace manufactures small-calibre ammunition for defence and law enforcement customers in international markets. Its manufacturing complex in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has an annual production capacity of 300 million rounds and produces ammunition conforming to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standards. The facility supports the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative by strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and contributing to India’s position in global defence markets.
The SIDM Champion Awards recognised achievements across 15 award categories, covering technology development, product innovation, design, import substitution, manufacturing excellence and exports. Addressing the annual session, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called for greater private sector participation in defence production, increased investment in research and development, and expanded manufacturing capacity to meet the country’s defence requirements.
Ashish Rajvanshi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Adani Defence & Aerospace, said, “We are proud to see our efforts in building India’s defence manufacturing capabilities recognised. Our focus is on making high-quality products in India and taking them to customers across global markets. We will continue to invest in technology and indigenous manufacturing to meet the evolving needs of defence and security customers.”
The latest recognition follows another SIDM Champion Award presented to Adani Defence & Aerospace’s Kanpur Ammunition Complex in 2025 for excellence in design, manufacturing and testing. The facility uses automated manufacturing systems, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled quality inspection, real-time data analytics and digital monitoring throughout the production process. Its digital shopfloor eliminates manual handling of hazardous materials, while digital security systems support 100 per cent digital traceability across the manufacturing value chain.
The Kanpur complex also houses a ballistics testing range equipped with an Electronic Pressure, Velocity and Action Time (EPVAT) system. The range is accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), India’s apex accreditation body for testing and calibration laboratories. These capabilities support quality assurance and testing requirements for ammunition manufacturing.
India’s defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in the financial year 2025–26, registering growth of 62.66 per cent over the previous financial year. The Government of India has set a target of achieving ₹50,000 crore in annual defence exports by 2029. The recognition of Adani Defence & Aerospace highlights the growing role of domestic manufacturers in expanding India’s defence production capabilities and strengthening its presence in international markets. VNI NEWS, Adani Defence & Aerospace, SIDM Champion Award 2026, Defence Exports India, Indian Defence Manufacturing, Rajnath Singh, Kanpur Ammunition Complex, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Defence Industry, Adani Defence & Aerospace SIDM Award 2026, SIDM Champion Award for Export Performance, India’s Defence Exports, Kanpur Ammunition Complex, Indian Defence Manufacturing, VNINews, VNINews.com