Bharat Electronics Limited - Development Timeline

Development Timeline

BEL has state of the art manufacturing facilities for various products. Starting with the manufacture of a few communication equipment in 1956, BEL started producing Receiving Valves in 1961, Germanium Semiconductors in 1962 and Radio Transmitters for AIR in 1964.

• In 1966, BEL set up a Radar manufacturing facility for the Army and in-house R&D. In 1967 BEL Manufacturing Transmitting Tubes, Silicon Devices and Integrated Circuits. The PCB manufacturing facility was established in 1968.

• In 1970 BEL started making Black & White TV Picture Tube, X-ray Tube and Microwave Tubes. In 1971 BEL set up facilities for manufacture of Integrated Circuits and Hybrid Micro Circuits. 1972 BEL established manufacturing facilities for TV Transmitters for Doordarshan. In the year 1973 BEL began manufacturing Frigate Radars for the Navy.

Under the government's policy of decentralization and due to strategic reasons, BEL set up new units at different location across the country. The second unit of BEL was set up at Ghaziabad in 1974 to manufacture Radars and Tropo communication equipment for the Indian Air Force. The third unit was established at Pune in 1979 to manufacture Image Converter and Image Intensifier Tubes.

• In 1980, first overseas office of BEL was set up at New York for procurement of components and materials.

• In 1981, a manufacturing facility for Magnesium Manganese Dioxide batteries was set up at Pune. The Space Electronic Division was set up at Bangalore to support the satellite programmes in 1982. The same year saw BEL achieve a turnover of Rs.100 crores (US$21 Million).

• In 1983, the Andhra Scientific Company (ASCO) was taken over by BEL converted it to its fourth manufacturing unit at Machilipatnam. In 1985, the fifth unit was set up in Chennai for supply of Tank Electronics, with proximity to HVF, Avadi. The sixth unit was set up at Panchkula the same year to manufacture Military Communication equipment.

• In 1986 BEL set up three units - Its seventh unit was set up at Kotdwara to manufacture Switching Equipment, the eighth unit to manufacture TV Glass Shell at Taloja (Navi Mumbai) and the ninth Unit at Hyderabad to manufacture Electronic Warfare Equipment.

• In 1987, a separate Naval Equipment Division was set up at Bangalore to give greater focus to Naval projects. The first Central Research Laboratory was established at Bangalore in 1988 to focus on futuristic Research & Development.

• In 1989 BEL started manufacturing Telecom Switching and Transmission Systems as also the set up the Mass Manufacturing Facility in Bangalore and the manufacture of the first batch of 75,000 Electronic Voting Machines.

The agreement for setting up BEL's first Joint Venture Company, BE DELFT, with M/s Delft of Holland was signed in 1990. Recently this became a subsidiary of BEL with the exit of the foreign partner and has been renamed BEL Optronic Devices Limited.

The second Central Research Laboratory was established at Ghaziabad in 1992. The first disinvestment (20%) and listing of the Company's shares in Bangalore and Mumbai Stock Exchanges took place in same year-1992.

• In 1996 BEL achieved Rs 1,000 crore (US$215 Million) turnover.

• In 1997, GE BEL, the second Joint Venture Company with M/s GE, USA, was formed as also the third JVC with M/s Multitone, UK, BEL Multitone. The same year, the US imposed supply restrictions on BEL.

• In 1998, BEL set up its second overseas office at Singapore to source components from South East Asia. In the same year US and Europe imposed sanctions on BEL. The Company was able to overcome the effects of the sanctions and kept up the promised deliveries to customers.

• In the year 2000 BEL reorganized its Bangalore unit into six Strategic Business Units (SBUs). The R&D groups in Bangalore were also restructured into Specific Core Groups and Product Development Groups. The same year, BEL shares were listed in the National Stock Exchange.

• In 2002, BEL became the first defence PSU to get operational Mini Ratna Category I status. In 2003 the Company's turnover crossed the Rs.2,500 crores mark (US$540 Million). In 2005 BEL achieved a turnover of Rs.3,220 crore (US$695 Million). BEL achieved a turnover of Rs.3,560 crore (US$767 Million) in 2005-06.

• In June 2007, BEL was conferred the Navratna status based on its consistent performance.

• On May 12, 2010 Boeing announced that it received the Data Link II communications technology for the Indian Navy’s P-8I from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in April, one month ahead of schedule. BEL delivered the Indian-designed communications system that will enable exchange of tactical data and messages between Indian Navy aircraft, ships and shore establishments. Boeing will install the system during P-8I final assembly.

• On 2011 Indian government owned Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) showcased its entire range of C4ISR capabilities including Network Centric Warfare technologies developed in-house at Aero India 2011.

These include Command & Control System, Air Space Management Multi Sensor Tracking, Situation Simulator and Tactical Algorithm for Air Defence applications; Battlefield Management System and an all-weather 24x7 coastal surveillance system.

In addition, new products and technologies including Software Defined Radios, Next Generation Bulk Encryptor and High Data Tactical Radio were also on show. Airborne products displayed included Radar Finger Printing System, Data Link, Digital Flight Control Computer and Identification Friend or Foe. Also on display were the complete range of Opto Electronic equipment, including Night Vision Devices, Digital Hand Held Compass and Advanced Land Navigation System.

BEL is the lead integrator of Akash, the Indian-made guided missile air defence weapon system. Another major system is Weapon Locating Radar, the state-of-the-art passive, phased array radar which has undergone successful user trials by the Indian defence forces.