Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination & Services)
IndustryDefence Production
Founded1712 (1712)[1][2]
Defunct1 October 2021 (2021-10-01)[3]
FateCorporatised
Successors
Headquarters
Ayudh Bhawan, Kolkata
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
M. K. Garg, IOFS
(Director General)[4]
ProductsSmall arms, aircraft weapons, anti-aircraft warfare, naval weapons, anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-tank warfare, missiles, missile launchers, rockets, rocket launchers, bombs, grenades, mortars, mines, metals, alloys, machine tools, military vehicles, engines, armoured vehicles, parachutes, optoelectronics, chemicals, clothing, artillery, ammunition, propellants, explosives
RevenueUS$3 billion (₹22,389.22 crores)
(2020–21)[2][5][6][7]
Number of employees
~80,000[8]
Websitewww.ofb.gov.in

Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), consisting of the Indian Ordnance Factories, now known as Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination & Services) was an organisation, under the Department of Defence Production (DDP) of Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India.[9] The 41 Indian Ordnance Factories have been converted into 7 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

OFB was the 37th-largest defence equipment manufacturer in the world, 2nd-largest in Asia, and the largest in India.[10] OFB was the world's largest government-operated production organisation,[11] and the oldest organisation in India.[12][13] It had a total workforce of about 80,000.[8] It was often called the "Fourth Arm of Defence",[14][15][16] and the "Force Behind the Armed Forces" of India.[17][18] Its total sales were at US$3 billion (₹22,389.22 crores) in the year 2020–'21.[2]

It was engaged in research, development, production, testing, marketing and logistics of a product range in the areas of air, land and sea systems. OFB consisted of forty-one ordnance factories, nine training institutes, three regional marketing centres and four regional controllerates of safety, which are spread all across the country.[19][20] Every year, 18 March is celebrated as the Ordnance Factory Day in India.[21][22]

History

Origins

The Indian Ordnance Factories predate all the other organisations like the Indian Army and the Indian Railways by over a century. The first Indian ordnance factory can trace its origins back to the year 1712 when the Dutch Ostend Company established a Gun Powder Factory in Ichhapur.[23] In 1787, another gunpowder factory was established at Ichapore; it began production in 1791, and the site was later used as a rifle factory, beginning in 1904. In 1801, Gun Carriage Agency (now known as Gun & Shell Factory, Cossipore) was established at Cossipore, Calcutta, and production began on 18 March 1802. This is the oldest ordnance factory in India still in existence.[24]

Contributions

The Indian Ordnance Factories have not only supported India through the wars, but also played an important role in building India, with the advancement of technology, and have ushered the Industrial Revolution in India, starting with the first modern steel, aluminium, copper plants of India,[25][26] first modern electric textile mill of India, first chemical industries of India,[27] established the first engineering colleges of India, as its training schools,[28] sparked India's first war of independence in 1857 with its rifles and bullets,[29][30] and also played key role in the founding of research and industrial organisations like ISRO, DRDO, BDL, BEL, BEML, SAIL, etc.[31][32]

Timeline

  • 1712 – Establishment of the Dutch Ostend Company's Gun Powder Factory at Ichhapur.[23]
  • 1775 – Establishment of the Board of Ordnance at Fort William, Kolkata.
  • 1787 – Establishment of the Gun Powder Factory at Ishapore.
  • 1791 – Production of Gun Powder begins at Ishapore.
  • 1801 – Establishment of Gun Carriage Agency at Cossipore, Kolkata.
  • 1802 – Production begins at Cossipore on 18 March.
  • 1935 – Indian Ordnance Service was introduced to administer the whole Defence Production Industry of India.
  • 1954 – Indian Ordnance Service (IOS) renamed to Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS).
  • 1979 – Ordnance Factory Board is established on 2 April.

Restructuring OFB into seven PSUs

On 17 June 2021, the Defence Ministry announced its plans to split the existing five operating divisions of OFB, in addition to parachutes and opto-electronics, into seven PSUs, wholly owned by the government. It was mentioned that all existing factories and employees will become a part of these seven PSUs.[33][34] From 1 October 2021, OFB has been dissolved and all the management, control, operations and maintenance has been transferred to 7 newly formed Defence PSUs, namely:[35][36]

The new companies were launched and dedicated to the nation on 15 October 2021.[37]

Infrastructure and leadership of OFB

OFB's office at Esplanade, Kolkata [38][39][40]

Headquarters

  • Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata
  • Armoured Vehicles Headquarters, Chennai
  • Ordnance Equipment Factories Headquarters, Kanpur
  • Ordnance Factory Board, New Delhi Office
  • Ordnance Factory Cell, Mumbai
  • Ordnance Factories Recruitment Centre, Nagpur

Apex Board

The Apex Board was headed by the Director General of Ordnance Factories (DGOF), who acts as the chairman of the board (ex officio Secretary to Government of India) and consisted of nine other members, who each held the rank of Additional DGOF. Ordnance factories were divided into five operating divisions, depending upon the type of the main products/technologies employed. These were:

  • Ammunition and Explosives
  • Weapons, Vehicles & Equipment
  • Materials and Components
  • Armoured Vehicles
  • Ordnance Equipment Group of Factories

Each of the above group of factories was headed by a Member/Additional DGOF who was in the rank of Special Secretary to Government of India. The four remaining members were responsible for staff functions, viz personnel, finance, planning and material management, and technical services, and they operated from Kolkata.

Ordnance factories

FactoryLocationStateDefence PSU
Ammunition Factory, Khadki (AFK)PuneMaharashtraMunitions India Limited
Cordite Factory, Aruvankadu (CFA)AruvankaduTamil NaduMunitions India Limited
Engine Factory, Avadi (EFA)ChennaiTamil NaduArmoured Vehicles Nigam Limited
Field Gun Factory, Kanpur (FGK)KanpurUttar PradeshAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur (GCF)JabalpurMadhya PradeshAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Grey Iron Foundry (GIF)JabalpurMadhya PradeshYantra India Limited
Gun and Shell Factory, Cossipore (GSF)KolkataWest BengalAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project (HAPP)TiruchirappalliTamil NaduMunitions India Limited
High Explosives Factory (HEF)PuneMaharashtraMunitions India Limited
Heavy Vehicles Factory, Chennai (HVF)ChennaiTamil NaduArmoured Vehicles Nigam Limited
Machine Tool Prototype Factory Ambernath (MPF)MumbaiMaharashtraArmoured Vehicles Nigam Limited
Metal and Steel Factory (MSF)IshaporeWest BengalYantra India Limited
Ordnance Clothing Factory Avadi (OCFAV)ChennaiTamil NaduTroop Comforts Limited
Ordnance Factory Chandigarh (OCFC)ChandigarhChandigarhIndia Optel Limited
Ordnance Clothing Factory (OCFS)ShahjahanpurUttar PradeshTroop Comforts Limited
Ordnance Equipment Factory Kanpur (OEFC)KanpurUttar PradeshTroop Comforts Limited
Ordnance Equipment Factory Hazratpur (OEFHZ)HazratpurUttar PradeshTroop Comforts Limited
Ordnance Factory Ambernath (OFA)MumbaiMaharashtraYantra India Limited
Ordnance Factory Ambajhari (OFAJ)NagpurMaharashtraYantra India Limited
Ordnance Factory Bhandara (OFBA)BhandaraMaharashtraMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Bhusawal (OFBH)BhusawalMaharashtraYantra India Limited
Ordnance Factory Bolangir (OFBOL)BolangirOdishaMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Kanpur (OFC)KanpurUttar PradeshAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Ordnance Factory Chandrapur (OFCH)ChandrapurMaharashtraMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Dumdum (OFDC)KolkataWest BengalYantra India Limited
Ordnance Factory Dehu Road (OFDR)PuneMaharashtraMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Dehradun (OFDUN)DehradunUttarakhandIndia Optel Limited
Ordnance Factory Itarsi (OFI)ItarsiMadhya PradeshMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK)JabalpurMadhya PradeshMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Katni (OFKAT)KatniMadhya PradeshYantra India Limited
Ordnance Factory Muradnagar (OFM)MuradnagarUttar PradeshYantra India Limited
Ordnance Factory Project (OFN)NalandaBiharMunitions India Limited
Ordnance Factory Project Korwa (OFPKR)KorwaUttar PradeshAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Ordnance Factory Project Medak (OFPM)HyderabadTelanganaArmoured Vehicles Nigam Limited
Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli (OFT)TiruchirappalliTamil NaduAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Ordnance Factory Varangaon (OFV)VarangaonMaharashtraMunitions India Limited
Opto Electronics Factory (OLF)DehradunUttarakhandIndia Optel Limited
Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF)KanpurUttar PradeshGliders India Limited
Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI)IshaporeWest BengalAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Small Arms Factory (SAF)KanpurUttar PradeshAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited
Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ)JabalpurMadhya PradeshArmoured Vehicles Nigam Limited

Each ordnance factory was headed by a General Manager who is in the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

Training institutes, regional centres and controllerates

National Academy of Defence Production provides training to the IOFS officers in areas of technology, management, public administration as induction and re-orientation courses.

There were Ordnance Factories Institutes of Learning (OFILs) in Ambajhari, Ambernath, Avadi, Dehradun, Ishapore, Khamaria, Kanpur and Medak. Each OFIL was headed by a principal director, and NADP by a senior principal director. NADP provided training to Group A officers, whilst the other eight institutes imparted training to Group B and Group C employees of the ordnance factories.

OFB had Regional marketing centres and Regional controllerates of safety as well.

Joint Ventures

In 2017, the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence opened itself to for Joint Ventures with OFB and DRDO was also tasked with identifying their products and patents, with the scope of commercial production[41]

A joint venture between Ordnance Factory Board (50.5%), Kalashnikov Concern (42%) and Rosonboronexport (7.5%) established to produce AK-203 (7.62×39mm) assault rifles intended for Indian Security Forces.[42]

Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS)

The Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) is a civil service of the Government of India. IOFS officers are Gazetted (Group A) defence-civilian officers under the Ministry of Defence.

IOFS is a multi-disciplinary composite cadre consisting of technical – engineers (civil, electrical, mechanical, electronics), technologists (aerospace, automotive, marine, industrial/product design, computer, nuclear, optical, chemical, metallurgical, textile, leather) and non-technical/administrative (science, law, commerce, management and arts graduates). Technical posts account for about 87% of the total cadre. The doctors (surgeons and physicians) serving in OFB belong to a separate service known as the Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service (IOFHS). IOFHS officers are responsible for the maintenance of health of the employees, and the hospitals of OFB. They report directly to the IOFS officers. IOFS and IOFHS are the only two civil services under the Department of Defence Production.[43]

Products

The type of ordnance material produced is very diverse, including various small arms to missiles, rockets, bombs, grenades, military vehicles, armoured vehicles, chemicals, optical devices, parachutes, mortars, artillery pieces plus all associated ammunition, propellants, explosives and fuses.[44]

Civilian products

Civilians are required to hold an Arms License (issued only for non-prohibited bore category weapons) in order to buy firearms in India. The following products of the Indian Ordnance Factories Board are available for civilians:

Arms

Ammunition

  • Cartridge Rimfire .22" Ball
  • Cartridge SA .32" Revolver
  • Cartridge SA .315" and .30-06 Ball
  • Cartridge SA 12 Bore 70mm
  • Cartridge SA 12 Bore 65 mm Special

Military Products

These products are exclusively manufactured for use by the armed forces and are not sold to civilians.

Customers

Armed Forces

The prime customers of Indian Ordnance Factories were the Indian Armed Forces viz. Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.[45][46] Apart from supplying armaments to the Armed Forces, Ordnance Factories also meet the requirements of other customers viz. the Central Armed Police Forces, State Armed Police Forces, Paramilitary Forces of India and the Special Forces of India in respect of arms, ammunition, clothing, bullet proof vehicles, mine protected vehicles etc.[19][47]

Civil trade

Customers are in the civil sector, central/state government organisations and departments such as Indian Railways, Indian Space Research Organisation, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Nuclear Fuel Complex, Aeronautical Development Agency, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Telecommunications, and State Electricity Boards.[48][49][50][51] Public Sector Undertakings in India (PSUs) such as HMT Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited,[52] private companies and individuals etc. who purchased industrial chemicals, explosives, arms, ammunition, brass ingots, aluminium alloy products for aircraft, steel castings and forgings, vehicles, clothing and leather goods, cables and opto-electronic instruments.[53]

Exports

Arms and ammunition, weapon spares, chemicals and explosives, parachutes, leather and clothing items were exported to more than 30 countries worldwide.

  • Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, Singapore
  • Europe: Germany, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  • Middle East: Oman, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE
  • Africa: Kenya, Botswana, Nigeria
  • North and South America: United States, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Suriname[53][54][55][56]

Notable employees

References

  1. ↑ "Ordnance Factory Board-History". Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Corporatisation of ordnance factories may lead to selective privatisation in the long term". 5 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "Defence Ministry issues order for Ordnance Factory Board dissolution". The Hindu. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  4. ↑ "Home | Ordnance Factory Board | Government of India". ofbindia.gov.in.
  5. ↑ "About Department of Defence Production - Department of Defence Production". ddpmod.gov.in. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ↑ "Antony reviews Ordnance Factory Board work". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 17 April 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Trends in Defence Production: Case of Ordnance Factories". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "History | Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination and Services) | Government of India".
  10. ↑ https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/fs_arms_industry_2017_0.pdf
  11. ↑ "Factories of graft". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  12. ↑ "Ministry of Defence, Govt of India". Mod.nic.in. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  13. ↑ John Pike. "Ordnance Factories". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  14. ↑ "Two Centuries of Guns and Shells". Mod.nic.in. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "WHAT". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  16. ↑ "Gun Carriage Factory". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  17. ↑ "About Us - Ordnance Factory Board". Ordnance Factory Board. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  18. ↑ "Hindustan Aeronautics Limited". Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  19. 1 2 "OFB in Brief - Ordnance Factory Board". Ordnance Factory Board. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  20. ↑ "Our Units - Ordnance Factory Board". Ordnance Factory Board. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  21. ↑ "VFJ celebrates 212th Ordnance Factory Day". The Hitavada. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  22. ↑ Our Bureau. "Business Line : Industry & Economy News : Ordnance Factory to invest Rs 15,000 cr for modernisation". Thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  23. 1 2 "Our History | RIFLE FACTORY ISHAPORE | Government of India". ddpdoo.gov.in.
  24. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Gun and Shell Factory". Ofb.gov.in. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  25. ↑ http://eprints.nmlindia.org/3774/1/75-80.PDF
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  28. ↑ https://www.educationforallinindia.com/1949%20Report%20of%20the%20University%20Education%20Commission.pdf
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  30. ↑ "Bengal's 183-year-old tryst with Afghans | Kolkata News - Times of India". The Times of India. 24 August 2021.
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  32. ↑ https://gsf.gov.in/index.php?id=2&pid=2
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  41. ↑ "Government looking at joint ventures in ordnance sector". The Hindu. 14 December 2017. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  42. ↑ "PM Modi inaugurates Indo-Russian joint venture, which will end Army's long quest for rifles". 3 March 2019.
  43. ↑ http://www.persmin.nic.in/DOPT/CSWing/CRDivision/Mail%20List%20of%20Secretaries.htm
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  46. ↑ "Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's – IHS". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  47. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Small Arms Factory". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  48. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Grey Iron Foundry". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  49. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Ordnance Factory Ambajhari". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  50. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Ordnance Cable Factory Chandigarh". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  51. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Ordnance Factory Itarsi". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  52. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project". Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  53. 1 2 "Indian Ordnance Factories: Customers". Ofb.gov.in. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  54. ↑ Pratim Ranjan Bose (29 September 2011). "Business Line : OTHERS / EDITORIAL FEATURE : We're making Ordnance factories future ready, says OFB Chairman Dimri". Thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
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  64. ↑ "Among the Seven Pioneers".
  65. ↑ "I'm proud that I recommended him for ISRO: EV Chitnis". DNA India.
  66. ↑ "MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (Public Section) Padma Awards Directory (1954-2017) Year-Wise List" (PDF). www.mha.gov.in. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
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