First ‘Made in India’ Devices by Early 2021
Moving a step further in their strategic cooperation agreement, signed in 2018, Thales and MKU announced their agreement for co-development of the ELFIE night vision device (NVD) for the Indian and global markets on the fringes of DefExpo last month.
A lightweight monocular with a wide field of view, ELFIE provides mobility and night combat capability. Whether hands-free on a helmet or weapon-mounted, ELFIE is suitable for left or right eye use and provides stereoscopic vision in binocular configuration. It is ideal for vehicle drivers, paratroopers and special forces operators. When mounted on a weapon, it provides a red dot sight or laser pointer to the user.
The first pre-series production devices are expected to be completed at MKU’s facility in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in the first quarter of 2020, with a true ‘Made in India’ model becoming available approximately one year later.
The venture “embodies the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Coming up in the defence industrial corridor of Uttar Pradesh, this versatile night vision device will be offered to the armed forces in India as well as across the world […] strengthening the industrial ecosystem while also contributing towards job creation in the country,” commented Pascale Sourisse, Senior Executive Vice President – International Development at Thales.
“This association will combine Thales’ expertise with the manufacturing abilities of MKU and boost local manufacturing for the defence industry. We will develop the entire supply chain and the devices will be manufactured to exacting international standards,” added Neeraj Gupta, Managing Director, MKU Limited.