Anil Ambani, chairman of Reliance Infrastructure, is expanding into India’s defence manufacturing sector with the upcoming launch of an integrated project in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. This ambitious project, named Dhirubhai Ambani Defence City (DADC), aims to manufacture explosives, ammunition, and small arms. The company plans to invest nearly Rs 10,000 crore over the next decade to develop the country’s largest integrated project in Maharashtra.

The company has secured 1,000 acres of land in the Watad Industrial Area of Ratnagiri for DADC. According to a statement from the firm, “Reliance Infrastructure will invest over Rs 10,000 crore over the next 10 years.” The statement also highlighted that through its subsidiaries, Reliance Infrastructure has exported defence equipment worth more than Rs 1,000 crore over time.

This move signals Anil Ambani’s ambition to secure a larger share of the defence manufacturing sector, a domain where his elder brother has yet to establish a presence. Notably, Anil Ambani's R-Infra already collaborates with French defence companies Dassault Aviation and Thales.

The company's statement also mentioned a joint venture involving six leading global defence firms to produce small, medium, and large-calibre arms, as well as terminally guided munitions, for both civilian and military use. “DADC will be the largest greenfield project in the defence sector in India by any private sector company,” the statement added. With this initiative, R-Infra joins Tata Group, Adani, and Larsen & Toubro in the defence manufacturing sector. Its subsidiaries, Jai Armaments Ltd and Reliance Defence Ltd, have already obtained government licenses for arms and ammunition manufacturing.