From indigenous nuclear submarine Arihant to K9 Vajra guns, L&T, under chairman Naik, who joined firm as junior engineer, is now betting big on defence.
New Delhi: Anil Manibhai Naik, better known as A.M. Naik, is among this year’s honourees of the country’s second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.
Naik, who joined L&T in 1965 as a young junior engineer, is now the chairman of Larsen and Toubro (L&T), one of India’s biggest MNCs with a market cap of Rs 1.82 lakh crore, which has made stellar progress in not just the construction business but the defence sector as well.
From playing a critical part in the making of India’s indigenous nuclear submarine, Arihant, to giving the Indian Army its latest K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun , the firm has come a long way under the leadership of Naik.
The L&T chairman had earlier received India’s third-highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 2009, the year Arihant was launched.
The hull of the vessel was built by L&T’s Hazira shipbuilding facility, and the company continues to help the Bhabha Atomic Centre and the Ship Building Centre in the manufacture of the follow-ons of Arihant-class submarines.
L&T offers design-to-delivery solutions across the defence spectrum – from land-based weapon launch systems, air defence and artillery systems and upgrades, to naval weapon launch systems with fire control solutions, bridging systems, communication, avionics, and missile systems.
“Mr A.M. Naik… richly deserves the Padma Vibhushan,” tweeted RBI independent director S. Gurumurthy. “He is a nationalist as his biography is itself titled. Genius as a professional manager, he saved L&T from Ambanis, turned it into national security asset from just an engineering co. Congrats Mr Naik,” he added.
Gurumurthy was referring to Naik’s handling of the takeover bids mounted by the Ambanis and Birlas against L&T in the early 2000s, an episode the latter detailed at length in his biography, The Nationalist, authored by columnist Minhaz Merchant.
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Standing out
Over the years, the group has emerged as the only Indian private player with experience in submarine building and is seen as one of the main contenders for the multi-billion dollar P75I project of the Indian Navy.
The project envisages the manufacture of six conventional submarines equipped with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, which will allow them to stay underwater longer than regular diesel-electric powered submarines.
Another feather was added to the firm’s cap with the induction of the K9 Vajra guns by the Indian Army last year.
On 19 January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of L&T in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 guns will be manufactured.
L&T is also building seven offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Coast Guard, besides 54 high-speed Interceptor Boats for the force. The company is credited with delivering an indigenously designed and constructed Floating Dock to the Indian Navy in 2017.
Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai last year, L&T’s chief financial officer R. Shankar Raman had said that defence engineering was the company’s “new baby” as it is a business for the future.
CEO and managing director S.N. Subrahmanyan echoed Raman’s views on defence engineering, saying that, over the last decade, the company had built strategic assets to make India self-reliant in this space.
Also read: Induction of K9 Vajra (Thunder) for Indian Army pulls India out of the past
AMNailk certainly deserves our respect. Ambanis and Birlas too have done outstanding job as industrialists. They also deserve our respect. Mr Naik certainly stands head and shoulders above the rest of the greats.
The Iron Man of L&T.The man brought the company to the peak of Mount Everest.His dedication towards building up the business deserve him for the award.LWhen ever any one see this gentleman his patriotism towards India can be observed on his coat.
Long live Sir, and continue the good job which you are doing for the last 53 years.
Congratulations to Shri AMN
Real nationalist…most deserving.
His whole life is a sacrifice for making of L & T and India.
What a force of talented & commited team he has grown!! All are gems.
“Nationalist ” worth to read.
My dream model.
L&T perhaps one of the most competent construction companies in the world and most of the credit goes to Shi Naik to very ably let it to great heights
That is because L&T has invested ship and related infrastructure facilities which as you will agree cannot be used for making or servicing Airplanes. Reliance on the other hand had set up top facilities for making and servicing Airplanes well before the contract was signed. BTW, Reliance has also invested a huge amount in ship building but has not got any business from the Govt!
Mr Mehta, Anil Ambani’s company was set up 10 days prior to the Rafale deal signed by Mr Modi. About ADAG’s ship building abilities, I read in the papers that Indian Navy forfeited its bank guarantee because it could not supply a Coastguard Ship on time.
On the other hand, L&T has the calibre and confidence to take up any kind of engineering assignment. It can hire suitable professionals and set up suitable manufacturing facility for it. You will recall that Sardar Patel’s statue has been built by this company which too must have been a first for them.
Congratulations to Mr Naik. In my own small way, whenever I have commented on Rafale, I have always interjected the query why L&T was never considered for the offset partner by Dassault for in-India manufacturing of that jet. Now I’m doubly confused! When Modi government was favorably disposed to L&T as is now apparent by its choice of Mr Naik for the second highest award in India, then how could Mr Modi not remember this company’s name at the time of Rafale discussions?