CUMI building self-reliant supply chains for high-performance defence materials

In a chat with C&ACER, Mr Subbu Venkatachalam, Head of Defence & Aerospace, Carborundum Universal Limited, talks about how the company is supporting the country's goal of reducing foreign dependency and scaling high-value defence exports

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India's defence sector has reached a pivotal moment, with production hitting ₹1. 5 lakh crore this year and long-term targets set at ₹3 lakh crore. Mission Sudarshan Chakra, the country's most ambitious indigenous air defence programme, will require a full ecosystem of advanced materials, thermal systems, and integrated platforms.

Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), part of the 125-year-old Murugappa Group is positioned at the core of this shift. It is among the few Indian companies producing zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings for jet engines, ceramic armour for naval helicopters. All of this is delivered within India, supporting the country's goal of reducing foreign dependency and scaling high-value defence exports.

In a chat with C&ACER, Mr Subbu Venkatachalam, Head of Defence & Aerospace, Carborundum Universal Limited gives us an insight into how India is building self-reliant supply chains for high-performance defence materials besides a firsthand view of how CUMI's technologies are supporting jet propulsion, and naval protection, amongst other things.

What are some of the products manufactured by CUMI, especially related to high-performance coatings and ceramics, and their USP?

The USP of engineered ceramics is their ability to combine advanced protection with exceptional performance. This is especially critical in aerospace where civil and military aircraft, especially, are put through some of the most gruelling routines. Our range of technical ceramics goes far above traditional materials when compared on parameters such as mechanical strength, wear resistance, thermal stability, chemical inertness, and electrical properties.