Reliance Infrastructure takes flight with ₹5,000 cr bet on aircraft upgrade business, ET Infra
Advt
Advt
Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.
Get updates on your preferred social platform Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more.
This strategic foray positions Reliance Infrastructure as India's first private sector company to independently execute a comprehensive aircraft upgrade programme without being the original manufacturer - a domain traditionally dominated by public sector units and OEMs.According to a company source, the company has already marked a significant milestone by successfully upgrading 55 Dornier-228 aircraft under a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), in collaboration with US-based avionics firm Genesys.Initially awarded a contract for 37 aircraft, Reliance secured a repeat order for an additional 18 units following the successful execution of an earlier contract.The total value of the Dornier upgrade contract was ₹350 crore, sources said.The upgraded Dornier fleet is operational with the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard.With military aircraft and helicopters having a service life of 30-40 years, regular upgrades - particularly of avionics, mission systems, and safety equipment - are vital.Industry experts estimate that lifecycle investments in upgrades and MRO can reach up to 200-300 per cent of the original acquisition cost of a platform.Globally, the market for military aircraft and helicopter upgrades stands at over ₹5,00,000 crore annually, and is projected to rise to ₹7,00,000 crore in the next seven years.India, with a vast inventory of legacy platforms, offers a substantial domestic opportunity, especially as the armed forces modernise older fleets for next-gen warfare.Reliance Infrastructure is now looking to scale up its aircraft and helicopter upgrade capabilities, working with global partners to deliver world-class solutions.In addition to the Dornier upgrade success, the company is also a key player in the performance-based logistics (PBL) program for Rafale fighter jets in India, in partnership with Thales of France.Reliance investments in this domain align with the vision of ' Atmanirbhar Bharat ' while tapping into a multi-billion-dollar global market.With its growing portfolio and proven execution, Reliance Infrastructure is poised to become a major private player in the defence aviation ecosystem, bridging the gap between cutting-edge global technology and the operational needs of India's armed forces.For industry stakeholders and investors, Reliance's aircraft upgrade strategy represents a high-potential play in India's defence manufacturing and services sector, with scope for international collaboration and recurring revenue models.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
Who is Nicole Daedone, the woman convicted of forcing employees into sexual acts?
The founder of sexual wellness company, OneTaste Inc., and its former sales head have been convicted of forced labour charges by a Brooklyn court. The California-based company promoted 'orgasmic meditation', or 'OM', which was carried out by men manually stimulating women in a group setting. Following a five-week trial, the court on Monday found Nicole Daedone, 57, founder of OneTaste, and Rachel Cherwitz, 44, the former sales director, guilty after deliberating for less than two days, reported news agency AP. The two accused could face up to 20 years in prison. During the case hearing, prosecutors argued that Nicole and Rachel ran a years-long scheme that groomed adherents, many of them victims of sexual trauma, to do their bidding, the AP report said. The two women used economic, sexual and psychological abuse, intimidation and indoctrination to force OneTaste members into sexual acts such as having sex with prospective investors or clients. Assistant US Attorney Nina Gupta, in her closing statement last week, said the defendants 'built a business on the backs' of victims who 'gave everything' to them, including 'their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity,' according to the AP report. 'The jury's verdict has unmasked Daedone and Cherwitz for who they truly are: grifters who preyed on vulnerable victims by making empty promises of sexual empowerment and wellness only to manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit,' said Joseph Nocella, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Nicole Daedone of New York co-founded OneTaste in San Francisco in 2004 as a sort of self-help commune that viewed female orgasms as key to sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection. Portrayed as a cutting-edge enterprise that prioritised women's sexual pleasure, the sexual wellness company generated revenue by providing courses, coaching, OM events, and other sexual practices for a fee. OneTaste enjoyed glowing media coverage in the 2010s and quickly opened centres from Los Angeles to London. Nicole sold her stake in OneTaste in 2017 for $12 million, a year before the company's marketing and labour practices were criticised. OneTaste's current owners, who have rebranded it as the Institute of OM Foundation, said its work has been misconstrued, and the charges against its former executives were unjustified.
The Print
36 minutes ago
- The Print
Robert Vadra skips ED summons in PMLA case linked to Sanjay Bhandari
The federal probe agency had questioned the 56-year-old businessman for three consecutive days in April in a separate money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a 2008 land deal in Haryana. The sources said Vadra sought an adjournment of Tuesday's summons, and he will now be given a fresh date. The ED wants to record Vadra's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and then file a chargesheet against him before the court, sources said. New Delhi, Jun 10 (PTI) Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Tuesday skipped an ED summons for questioning in a money laundering case linked to UK-based alleged arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari, official sources said. Bhandari (63) fled to London in 2016, soon after the Income Tax Department raided him in Delhi. A UK court earlier this month refused an application filed by the Indian government seeking permission to appeal in Britain's Supreme Court against the discharge of Bhandari in an extradition case, virtually ruling out chances of him being brought to the country to face the law. The ED filed a chargesheet in this case in 2023, alleging that Bhandari acquired the 12, Bryanston Square house in London in 2009 and got it renovated 'as per the directions of Robert Vadra, who provided the funds for the renovation'. Vadra has denied that he owns any London property directly or indirectly. Terming the charges a 'political witch hunt', Vadra said he was being 'hounded and harassed' to subserve political ends. The ED is also investigating Vadra in a separate money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner. The federal probe agency had previously questioned Vadra and his mother, Maureen, in this case. PTI NES ARI This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
36 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
RCB's parent company reacts to 'plans to sell' franchise after winning IPL
Rumours of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) being on sale surfaced just days after the franchise claimed its maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title after beating Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad. However, the owners, Diageo India, an Indian branch of UK-based Diageo Plc, categorically shut the rumours as they told the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and BSE Surveillance Department on Tuesday that the reports were merely speculative in nature. Earlier, a Bloomberg report indicated that the British distiller has been in discussion with potential advisers on selling part or all of the club. Diageo owns the team through its Indian unit, United Spirits Ltd., and may seek a valuation of as much as $2 billion. However, the rumours were ended in a mail to the BSE, with Mital Sanghvi, the company secretary, informing the regulating body of the Indian Stock Market, "The company would like to clarify that the aforesaid media reports are speculative in nature and it is not pursuing any such discussion. This is for your information and records." Diageo is registered with the BSE and hence a mail was sent to the company as the rumours around the RCB had lifted the share price. Shares of United Spirits gained as much as 3.3%, to hit a five-month high, in Mumbai trading on Tuesday morning following the report on potential deal. The rumours emerged at a time when India's health ministry is keen on banning the promotion of tobacco and alcohol brands in the IPL. While advertisement of such products are strictly prohibited in India, Diageo have promoted other products such as soda using top cricketers. The discussions also emerged at a time when RCB found themselves in the midst of a controversy after the unfortunate incident outside the Chinnaswamy on June 4. The franchise had arranged a celebration in the city a day after the IPL win, which saw around 2.5 lakh fans gathering in and around the home stadium in Bengaluru. But all turned into a chaos as a stampede saw 11 people losing their lives, while 56 were left injured. The incident has drawn criticism from local authorities and increased scrutiny over event safety, adding pressure on the franchise's ownership as it faces reputational risks tied to the tragedy.
