French firm, Kanpur’s MKU to make night vision devices for armed forces: UP minister
The Thales Group’s investment will be part of the Defence Industrial Corridor project in Uttar Pradesh.
The Thales Group of France will manufacture night vision devices for India’s armed forces in collaboration with the Kanpur-based company MKU, Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Sidharth Nath Singh said on Monday.
The minister gave this information about the investment during the virtual inauguration of the Noida office of Thales. This investment will be part of the Defence Industrial Corridor project in Uttar Pradesh.
Singh requested the French company to manufacture components of fighter jets Mirage and Rafale in Uttar Pradesh. The French company specialises in aerospace, space, defence, ground transportation, digital identity and security. It has operations in 68 countries.
Singh is the minister for micro, small and medium enterprises, khadi and villages industries, sericulture industries, textile, export promotion, NRI and investment promotion. He is also the state government’s spokesman.
The French company’s country head Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, French Ambassador to India Emanuel Lenain and Thales’s India, Africa and Central Asia representative Jean Marc Budin were also present during the event.
“Virtually opened #Thales India HQs in Noida. 6 storey, 1100 employees with state of art green building. Was delighted to hear the views of Ambassador of France to India Mr Emmanuel Lenain in building relationship with #UP,” the minister tweeted.
“Thales has proposed to make night vision devices for the armed forces in association with Kanpur-based defence company MKU and work is under progress over the proposal,” said Singh in a statement issued after the event.
MKU is a manufacturer of electro-optic devices, personal and platform armour solutions for military, paramilitary, homeland security and special forces.
On the occasion, the minister also pointed out that earlier, MNCs preferred to invest in South Indian states. But over the last three years they had shown interest in Uttar Pradesh, Singh said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced Defence Corridor project for Uttar Pradesh on February 21, 2018, at the investors’ summit in the state capital.
The defence corridor has six nodes: Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Kanpur and Lucknow.