Mihan Gears up for Reliance Group’s Diru Bhai Ambani Aerospace Park (DAAP)
The Mihan (Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport ) SEZ of Nagpur is all set to get a first of its kind aerospace park that aims to be a global hub for aerospace manufacturing. To be built by the newly formed Reliance subsidiary, Reliance Defence, the park will be housed over 289 acres and will be titled the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park (DAAP).
Land for the project was recently allocated to Reliance Aerostructure Ltd. in a convention attended by Anil Ambani, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Speaking the occasion, Ambani said, “We are deeply committed to defence sector. Our first acquisition was Pipavav. Project at Mihan would be the largest greenfield project not only in India but in South East Asia. We started on June 16, 2015, with first presentation and in less than 10 weeks we got the land. This is a record."
It’s reported that Mihan finally became a unanimous choice after extensive surveys and analysis of potential sites revealed Mihan’s multiple strategic and geographical advantages that include proximity to airport and testing space for conducting air tests and superior telecommunications and social infrastructure. With an IIM close by, it has ready access to well-trained managers for the industry.
To be built on the lines of a smart city, Mihan will be powered with built-in capabilities for ancillary component manufacturing and after-sales support. It will have its own assembly lines producing fixed wing aircraft and aersotrcuctures for transport aircraft and helicopters for the defence and commercial sectors.
DAAP will generate about 1,500 jobs in the primary sector, 3,500 jobs in the secondary sector, and nearly 5,000 jobs in the tertiary sector. It will also be a worldwide facility where original aerospace equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from around the globe would set up their own shops.
Appreciating Ambani for taking up his suggestion to set up a defence factory in Nagpur, Fadnavis said that Ambani was the ‘brand ambassador’ of Mihan. He also revealed that aircraft major Boeing, which had previously withdrawn from a Maintenance Overhaul Repair (MRO) agreement, is contemplating a comeback with an international airline.
Fadnavis also said that the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative has been a great facilitator of growth and fostering public-private partnerships.
