Dholera making it big as defence manufacturing hub.

Dholera, an industrial city coming up over 920 sq km in Gujarat under the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), has caught the attention of planners in New Delhi. Attempts are being made to develop it as an artillery and aerospace hub.

Industrial plots measuring 8 sq km are being offered to global defence suppliers for testing and storage of equipment.

Dholera is an ancient port town in the Gulf of Khambatt. Next to the old settlement is the new industrial city, being developed as a node under the $90-billion DMIC project.

Los Angeles-based management consultant Aecom infrastructure is handling the main project planning and execution.

Jagadish Salgaonkar, Senior Vice-President of Aecom, told BusinessLine that anything in defence space, such as artillery, tanks, jeeps and big guns, can be made in Dholera.

HBL