Indian state-run steel producer Steel Authority of India Limited’s (SAIL) Bokaro Steel Plant (BSP) has signed a licensing agreement with the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) for the transfer of technology under which the steelmaker will access the latter’s technology for production of special steel for armament applications, a company statement said on Friday, November 21.
Under this licensing agreement, DRDO has granted Bokaro Steel Plant a non-exclusive licence to utilise the technology for the production of DMR 249A steel sheets specifically for naval applications in India. The steel produced can be supplied to the Indian armed forces and other government agencies.
Special steel produced by BSP has been used as a critical material in construction of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, as well as stealth frigates INS Nilgiri, INS Mahendragiri and INS Vindhyagiri.
The company said that BSP will continue to support defence production through the development of special-grade steels.