India’s leading armoured platform manufacturer, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVANI), has set its sights on the global market, preparing to expand its footprint through international partnerships, reported Manu Pubby of ET News.

The defence public sector enterprise, carved out of the former Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), is seeking channel partners across Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia to market, distribute, and provide support for its extensive range of armoured vehicles and associated equipment.

AVANI is a critical supplier of India’s frontline armoured capabilities, manufacturing platforms such as the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT), the Russian-origin T-90 tanks, and armoured personnel carriers like the BMP-2. By leveraging these proven platforms, the company is seeking to align with India’s export-focused defence policy—a move that encourages indigenous firms to diversify beyond the domestic market and seek growth abroad.

While tanks and armoured carriers form the cornerstone of AVANI’s offerings, the company also produces a wide range of critical spares for Russian-origin armoured platforms, an area where many developing nations still have significant inventory needs. This positions AVANI as a dependable supplier of logistics and life-cycle support systems, particularly for countries whose militaries continue to operate legacy Soviet and Russian platforms.

In addition, AVANI has stepped into exports relevant to naval warfare with products such as naval guns and the Kavach decoy protection system for warships, broadening its market reach beyond land-based platforms.

The push for global expansion is heavily aligned with the Indian government’s directive to enlarge defence exports and reduce dependence on domestic orders. Since the restructuring of the Ordnance Factory Board into seven specialized corporations, including AVANI, there has been a steep rise in exports.

In 2019–20, the combined export value of the entities stood at only ₹81 crore. However, by 2024–25, provisional figures indicate that the number has surged to ₹3,545 crore, reflecting successful outreach strategies and heightened international demand for Indian defence products.

Among the seven companies, Munitions India Limited (MIL) led the exports for 2024–25, contributing nearly ₹3,000 crore primarily from global ammunition and explosives sales. AVANI is now trying to replicate this success by targeting the global market with heavy platforms, spares, and naval weaponry.

By channelling efforts towards Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, AVANI is entering regions where the demand for robust, cost-effective armoured capabilities remains strong. These markets also include countries that still operate or rely on Russian-origin equipment but are limited by sanctions and supply chain restrictions, creating geopolitical windows of opportunity for India to step in as a reliable defence supplier.

The move is also significant for India’s ambition to position itself as a top global defence exporter, with targets of crossing ₹50,000 crore in annual defence exports within this decade. AVANI’s export initiatives in spares, tanks, and naval equipment are expected to contribute meaningfully to this trajectory, while also boosting India’s strategic influence in partner regions.