Defence Stocks in India by Order Book Value: There’s never been a stronger moment for the Indian defense industry.
A sense of policy continuity following the June 4 general election has given the business a boost in confidence.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s bold objective of reaching a startling Rs 500 billion (bn) in defense exports over the next five years has further enhanced this optimistic view.
The realization of this ambitious objective is contingent upon a crucial shift – the establishment of a strong local defense industrial ecosystem.
India has always relied largely on imports of foreign defense equipment. But a paradigm shift is under way; in 2023–2024, the nation’s defense exports reached all-time highs of Rs 210 billion.
Indian defense industries with sizable order books have a fantastic opportunity to differentiate themselves as the front-runner’s thanks to this strategic shift. These organizations have a big edge because they have previously landed big contracts with the Indian military.
Defence Stocks in India by Order Book Value
1. Hindustan Aeronautics
At the top of the list, as of June 18, 2024, the company had an order book worth Rs 940 billion.
Additionally, the Ministry of Defence has requested proposals for the purchase of 156 Light Combat Helicopters from the business.
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With a tender worth over Rs 500 billion, this is the biggest order for helicopters that an Indian business has ever received.
HAL will be able to submit a techno-commercial bid through the tender, which will open up negotiations with the defense ministry before being approved. The only company awarded the tender is HAL, and it is being handled using the Single Vendor Contract (SVC) method.
Furthermore, Hindustan Aeronautics is actively seeking export markets by utilizing a variety of its products and emphasizing the strength and security of platforms such as the LCA Tejas.
Argentina, Nigeria, Egypt, and the Philippines are among the nations it is targeting for exports of its advanced light helicopter (ALH) and light combat aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A.
Additionally, it creates and incorporates cutting-edge avionics equipment to improve the functionality and endurance of its aircraft and helicopters, such as radar, communication, navigation, and electronic warfare systems.
HAL either supplies or services and supports almost 80% of the defense forces’ fleet.
With its 20 production divisions, 11 research and design centers, and over 4,100 aircraft and 5,000 engines produced, the firm has also overhauled 11,000 aircraft and 33,000 engines nationwide.
An Indian aerospace and defence corporation in the public sector is called Hindustan Aeronautics.
HAL is one of the biggest and oldest aerospace and defense businesses in the world, having been founded on December 23, 1940.
For the military and commercial markets, the business develops, plans, builds, and delivers aircraft, helicopters, avionics, and communications equipment.
2. Bharat Electronics
As of June 18, 2024, the company boasts an order book value of Rs 760 billion, of which US$ 407 million (around Rs 339.9 billion) is for exports.
Transmit and receive (TR) modules, compact multipurpose advanced stabilization systems (COMPASS), EW and radar systems, medical electronics, and communication equipment were among the main export goods.
In the highly specialized defensive electronics category, BEL holds a nearly 60% market share, while its market share in the entire defence market is 12%.
As a result, Bharat Electronics stands to gain greatly from the government’s decision to implement an import embargo on defense goods as part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
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A Navratna defense PSU is called Bharat Electronics (BEL).
The business, which was founded in 1954 in collaboration with CSF France, is currently a government aerospace and defense enterprise. The corporation is 51.1% owned by the Indian government.
In the realm of defense electronics, it is a leader. The business is the leading provider of electronic warfare, radar, and communication equipment to the Indian military.
About 87% of the company’s revenue comes from the Indian defense industry, which it depends largely on.
Furthermore, the government’s increasing capital budget allocation and ongoing focus on implementing reforms to strengthen India’s defense product production capability and progressively lower imports have contributed to a robust pipeline of new orders.
3. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
The company announced a significant order surge of Rs 385.6 billion as on June 18, 2024. It is the biggest shipbuilder in the nation in terms of order book and income.
Its distinctive role in the Indian defense industry, which specializes in producing destroyers and conventional submarines for the Indian Navy, is largely responsible for its strong position.
The manufacturing of the Indian Navy’s most ambitious projects, such as the destroyers and submarines of the Visakhapatnam and Kolkata classes and the Scorpene class, has fallen to it.
It is presently awaiting Indian government approval for a Rs 200 billion submarine project, which would allow it to build three more submarines. The first submarine was introduced in 2017, and this project is expected to increase the company’s order book.
The Navy needs about 175 ships for its fleet, including frigates, next-generation corvettes, and next-generation destroyers.
Despite its experience, Mazagon Dock may not always be given the projects. For new projects, it must contend with the privately held L&T and other government shipyards.
The Indian Navy has picked Mazagon Dock and L&T for the P75I project, which entails producing six additional submarines equipped with lithium-ion batteries and an air-independent propulsion system (AIP).
However, Mazagon Dock is currently very busy. Project 17 Alpha has already seen the company produce four frigates, the first of which will be delivered this year together with the final Scorpene submarine.
Mazagon facility began as a tiny shipbuilding facility and has grown to become India’s largest manufacturer of warships.
The Indian government owns the majority of the enterprise, which produces everything from cargo ships to destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, and offshore platforms.
4. Garden Reach Shipbuilders
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers has revealed a sizable order book worth Rs 227.9 billion.
On June 22, 2024, the business was awarded a contract to build and deliver four multipurpose boats, each with a 7,500 DWT (Deadweight tonnage) capacity.
The contract covers the creation, manufacturing, and delivery of the vessels, each of which has a 7,500 metric ton cargo capacity.
Furthermore, it has signed a contract to purchase a single trailing suction hopper dredger with the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
A purchase order for the production and delivery of a 1 KW HF system was also bagged.
One of the top shipbuilders serving the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy is Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers.
The company is proud to be the first shipyard in India to export warships, and it has a varied portfolio. It has effectively supplied the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard with a total of 100 warships.
With the launch of Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) and delivery for naval projects, the company looks forward to a bright future.
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5. Cochin Shipyard
The corporation boasts an order book worth Rs 215 bn as of June 18, 2024. Being the first greenfield shipbuilding yard in India, it has an enormous order book.
It is also the only shipyard in the nation with a 110,000 deadweight ton (DWT) shipbuilding capability and a 125,000 DWT repair capacity.
It is positioned to take advantage of the possibilities in India’s defense manufacturing sector as a unique player.
Despite being recognized as a commercial shipyard, CSL’s primary source of income is from the construction and maintenance of defense ships. They are a reliable partner for the Indian Navy’s shipbuilding requirements because of their experience and knowledge.
Being a unique player in defense space, the business has built a wide variety of warships, including destroyers, corvettes, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) shallow water crafts, and auxiliary vessels.
Its shipyard is strategically located on India’s west coast, near the center of the main sea route that connects Europe, West Asia, and the Pacific Rim—a major global maritime route.
The construction of a new dry dock and a 600-ton gantry crane will improve its future shipbuilding and repair capabilities.
To handle increasingly complex ship repair orders and increase its ship repairing revenue, it is expanding the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) in Cochin by adding a ship lifting facility.
To construct ships and other boats, the business is also establishing a modern shipbuilding facility in West Bengal.
6. Bharat Dynamics
After FY24, the company will have an orderbook worth around Rs 195 billion, with a 4-5 year execution horizon, as of June 18, 2024.
Over the next two to three years, the business hopes to receive fresh orders totaling Rs 200 billion.
Furthermore, the corporation stands to gain from proposals worth Rs 845.6 billion that were accepted by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) to improve the operational capabilities of the Indian armed forces.
Government initiatives that support homegrown defense equipment production have greatly benefited the company, which has improved its performance.
Bharat Dynamics began by producing missiles for original equipment manufacturers and closely collaborating with DRDO. Gradually, the company expanded into R&D and engineering roles to provide the Indian armed forces with a strategic advantage in present and future conflicts.
Producing allied equipment and guided missile systems for the Indian Armed Forces, Bharat Dynamics is a PSU under the Ministry of Defence.
Since the company’s founding, BDL has collaborated with foreign OEMs and the DRDO to produce and supply the Indian Armed Forces with a range of allied equipment, including missiles.
For FY25, the company anticipates sales growth of between 20 and 25 percent, with margins estimated to be around 20 percent.
7. Solar Industries
The company has an expected order book of Rs 36.5 billion as of June 18, 2024, which includes a defense backlog of Rs 23 billion made up of both local and foreign sales.
Additionally, demonstrating the preparedness of Indigenous defense capabilities, the Indian Army recently placed an order for 480 Loiter Munitions under an emergency purchase arrangement with Economics Explosives Ltd. (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries.
EEL confirmed that the system was ready for deployment by delivering the first batch of 120 Loiter Munitions to the Ammunition Depot at Pulgaon after the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) was completed between May 20 and May 25.
To meet this need, Solar Industries has developed weaponized drones that can neutralize a variety of targets using guided missiles, kamikaze drones, or gravity drop bombs, as demonstrated by the Nagastra-1 Loiter Munition.
Solar Industries India produces a wide range of industrial explosives and explosive-initiating devices. It produces a range of explosive initiating devices, bulk explosives, and packaged emulsion explosives.
The business has recently started producing ammunition for use in the military.
8. Astra Microwave
As of June 18, 2024, Astra Microwave had an order book worth Rs 22.9 billion.
Recently, a collaboration agreement was signed between Astra Microwave and Teledyne e2v HiRel Electronics to supply semiconductor services to the aerospace, defense, and high-reliability electronics markets.
A contract to supply, install, test, and commission a Precision Approach Radar (PAR) system for Hindustan Aeronautics was previously awarded to the company.
For its clients, the firm designs, develops, and manufactures essential subsystems for constructing a range of aerial, naval, and ground-based systems.
The company manufactures electronic warfare, radar electronics, and strategic electronics and telemetry systems.
With 55% of the total revenue in FY23, this vertical continues to be the largest revenue-generating one.
In order to improve detection and tracking capabilities, the company intends to concentrate on Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars in the future.
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9. Mishra Dhatu Nigam
With its most recent order victory of Rs 1.4 billion, Mishra Dhatu Nigam adds to the current open order position, which stands at about Rs 18.3 billion.
Nonetheless, the business has decided not to reveal the precise objective of this directive.
Under the Ministry of Defence, Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd. (MIDHANI) is a Miniratna Category-I company. It manufactures titanium, superalloys, and other specialty metals as well as special-purpose steel for use in nuclear energy, aerospace, and defense.
The business produces and supplies cutting-edge metals, alloys, and components to prestigious customers like the Ordnance Factory Board, DRDO, ISRO, HAL, and the Department of Atomic Energy.
In addition, the company is one of the leading producers of spacetech equipment in India because it actively supplies specialty materials and key alloys based on nickel to well-known international aerospace companies like SpaceX and Rolls Royce.
10. Zen Technologies
Zen Technologies had a Rs 14 billion order book as of June 18, 2024.
In addition, the company is poised to continue growing in FY25 and hopes to break the Rs 9 bn revenue mark.
The business announced the successful delivery of its ground-breaking Zen AntiDrone System with HardKill (Zen ADS HK) to the Army Air Defence College in Gopalpur, Odisha, in keeping with its expanding order book.
This is a critical turning point in strengthening India’s defenses against drone threats.
In the defense industry, Zen Technology is an expert in developing counter-drone devices and combat training programs for law enforcement and military personnel.
They have continuously supplied the Ministry of Defense (Armed Forces), Security Forces Police, and paramilitary groups with defense training solutions and flawless services.
The corporation has increased its investment in R&D in an attempt to expand its capabilities and product line.
In the future, the company hopes to launch many cutting-edge goods designed to meet the needs of its global customer base as well as the Indian armed forces.

