From humble beginnings in 1954, when Bharat Electronics (BEL) was set up in association with CSF, France (now, Thales), to manufacture basic communication equipment, the company now produces a wide range of state-of-the-art equipment in fields such as Defence Communication, Radars, Naval Systems, C4I Systems, Weapon Systems, Homeland Security, Telecom & Broadcast Systems, Electronic Warfare, Tank Electronics, Electro Optics, Professional Electronic Components and Solar Photovoltaic Systems, BEL also provides turnkey system solutions. Civilian products from BEL include Electronic Voting Machines, Tablet PC, solar-powered traffic signal systems and Access Control Systems.

Starting from a single Unit in Jalahalli, Bangalore, the company has established its presence across the country by setting up eight other Units - in Ghaziabad, Pune, Machilipatnam, Panchkula, Kotdwara, Navi Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Each Unit has a specific product mix and customer focus. The company has also set up a wide network of offices and service centres countrywide as well as two overseas offices – at New York and Singapore. The company was established to meet the specialized electronic equipment requirements of the Indian Defence Services. While this continues to be its prime focus, the company has a significant presence in the civilian market, too. It exports some of its products and services to a number of countries as well.

The company is primarily engaged in developing electronics technology solutions for the defence and civilian segments. It also has an ongoing expansion into international defence and civilian markets. With a healthy order book, robust order inflows and an extensive presence in the industry, it has secured a growing position in India’s defence sector, and are also expanding its reach internationally.

Business area of the company

BEL is a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It manufactures state-of-the-art electronic products and systems for the Army, Navy and the Air Force. It has also diversified into various areas like homeland security solutions, smart cities, e-governance solutions, space electronics including satellite integration, energy storage products including e-vehicle charging stations, solar, network & cyber security, railways & metro solutions, airport solutions, Electronic Voting Machines, telecom products, passive night vision devices, medical electronics, composites and software solutions.

Product offered by the company

Defence

• Radars (Aslesha, Lynx series, Weapon Locating Radar, 3D Surveillance Radar, 3D Tactical Control Radar etc)
• Missile systems and C41 (Akash, LRSAM, Air Defence Control and Reporting System)
• Defence communication (Software defined radios, strategic communication systems)
• Electronic warfare & avionics (Airborne EW systems, Avionics products, Land/Naval based EW systems)
• Naval Systems
• Electro Optics
• Tank Electronics and Gun upgrades
• Seekers
• Precision Weapon Systems and Accessories (Hammer, Electronic Fuzes)

Non-Defence

• Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) & VVPAT
• Homeland Security & Smart City
• Software Solutions / Services
• Healthcare Solutions
• Civil Aviation
• Solar Cells/Power Plants
• Railway/Metro/Airport Solutions
• Space Electronics and Systems
• Alternate Energy Solutions
• Secure Communication Solutions and Software

2009-10:

• Raksha Mantri's Awards for Import Substitution, Design Efforts, Innovation and Best Performing Division among DPSUs.
• Dun & Bradstreet Corporate Award 2009 in the category of Electrical and Electronic Equipment sector.
• Indian Semiconductor Association Technovation Award for the Best Electronic Product of the Year 2010 for the Pre-shower 32 Channel Silicon Strip Detector supplied to CERN, Geneva, for the Big Bang Experiment.
• SCOPE's Commendation Certificate for R&D, Technology Development & Innovation for the year 2007-08.
• Ghaziabad Unit won the International Safety Award for the 18th time from the British Safety Council, UK.

2010-11:

• BEL received Raksha Mantri Awards in the categories of Best Performing Division, Import Substitution, Design Effort and Innovation for the year 2008-09.
• BEL won the Gold trophy for SCOPE Meritorious Award for Corporate Governance for the year 2009-10.
• BEL won the Gold prize in the Heavy Industries category of DNA-Dainik Bhaskar India Pride Award (2010) for ‘Excellence in PSUs’.
• BEL won the ELCINA-EFY Award for Excellence in Quality (first prize) for the year 2010-11.
• ‘Gold Award’ for Advertisement & Appreciation for Corporate Film (Hindi) at the PRCI Annual Corporate Collateral Award (2011).

2011-12:

• BEL received the Dun & Bradstreet-Rolta Corporate Award under the ‘Electrical and Electronic Equipment’ category for the year 2010.
• BEL was conferred the PSE Excellence Award 2011 for R&D, Technology, Development & Innovation by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Government of India, and Indian Chamber of Commerce in the Navratna category.
• BEL won the Best Employer of Persons with Disabilities National Award for 2011.
• BEL received the ‘Organization with Innovative Practices, 2012’ HR Leadership Award from the Institute of Public Enterprises.
• BEL received the SCOPE Meritorious Award for R&D, Technology Development & Innovation for 2010-11; the SODET award for Technology Innovation - Gold Category and Broadcast Engineering Society Award for Disaster Warning System.

2012-13:

• Businessworld International Business Award in the Electricals, Electronics & Machinery Category on May 28, 2012.
• International Aerospace Awards on February 5, 2013. BEL received two awards--‘Most Influential Company of the Year’ and ‘Excellence in Exports’ at the second International Aerospace Awards organised by International Aerospace magazine.
• Dun & Bradstreet-Rolta Corporate Award 2011 for the top Indian company in the Electrical & Electronic Equipment sector, on June 1, 2012.
• Dalal Street ‘Most Efficient Navratna Manufacturing Unit’ Award at the 4th PSU Awards 2012 in March 2013.

2013-14:

• BEL received the Raksha Mantri’s Awards for Excellence (2011-12) in four categories: ‘Best Performance in Exports’ (Institutional Award), ‘Indigenisation’ (Group/Individual Award), ‘Design Efforts’ and ‘Innovation’, on November 25, 2013.
• Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Machilipatnam and Navi Mumbai —won the ‘Strong Commitment to Excel’ recognition in the CII-EXIM Bank Award for Business Excellence.

2014-15:

• Mentor Graphics Silicon India Leadership Award 2014 for ‘Best VLSI/Embedded Design in Defence/Aerospace Sector’.
• SAP Award for Customer Excellence 2014.
• SODET Gold Award for 2013-14 for ‘Technology Innovation’.

2015-16:

• India Today PSU Awards: ‘Best Global Presence Award’, ‘Eco Friendly Award’ and ‘Best R&D Innovation Award.
• Dun & Bradstreet ‘India’s Top PSUs Award 2015’, for the top Indian company in the Electrical & Electronic Equipment sector.
• Digital India PSE of the Year Award at the 2nd IPSE Awards 2015 - India’s Public Sector Enterprises Awards for Excellence.
• ELCINA-EFY Awards for Quality (1st prize in Large Scale category) and Exports (2nd prize in Large Scale category).

2016-17:

• Dun & Bradstreet’s India’s Top PSU Award 2016 for Electricals & Electronics sector.
• Dun & Bradstreet’s India’s Top 500 Company.
• Governance Now PSU Award.
• SAP Aerospace & Defence Award - Company of the Year.
• First prize for Excellence in Suggestion Scheme Implementation for BEL’s Bangalore Complex.

2017-18:

• Dun and Bradstreet India’s Top PSU Award 2017 in the Manufacturing: Medium and Light Engineering Sector category.
• First prize in ‘Responsible Organisation Excellence Awards’ 2016-17 (PSU category) instituted by ASSOCHAM.
• Six Raksha Mantri’s Awards for Excellence for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16: 2 awards for Indigenization; 2 awards for Design Effort; Best Performance in Export; Best Performing Division.

2019-20:

• ‘Governance Now’ Awards for Research & Innovation, HR Excellence and Geo-Strategic Reach.
• Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) PSE Excellence Awards for ‘R&D Excellence’, ‘Operational Performance Excellence’ and ‘Human Resources Management Excellence’.
• Business World Digital India Award for ‘Best Initiative in Transport and Mobility’ in the Government sector for ‘SWAGAT’, the Automatic Fare Collection Gating System jointly developed by BEL & Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).

Major events and milestones:

• 2017: BEL Achieves Turnover of Rs 8,800 crore.
• 2018: BEL signs MoU with L&T.
• 2018: Eight new products were launched at stall at DEFEXPO 2018.
• 2018: BEL achieves landmark turnover of more than Rs 10,000 crore.
• 2018: BEL signs MoU with Mahindra Defence Systems.
• 2018: BEL signs MoU with Mahindra Defence Systems.
• 2018: BEL order book crosses Rs 50K Cr mark.
• 2019: BEL signs MoU with Bharat Forge.
• 2019: BEL signs MoU with Elettronica SpA (ELT).
• 2019: BEL receives Export Order for $33 Million.
• 2019: BEL signs MoU with JSR Dynamics for manufacture and sale of Glide Weapons and Light Weight Cruise missiles.
• 2019: BEL signs Teaming Agreement with Hughes India for Helicopter Satcom Solutions.
• 2019: BEL launches Atmospheric Water Generator Safe Drinking Water, Straight from the Air.
• 2019: BEL, Elbit Systems sign TCA for Helmet Mounted Display System.
• 2019: BEL inks MoU with TEL for growth in ammunition business.
• 2020: BEL signs MoU with RailTel.
• 2020: BEL signs MoU with Sigtech Wireless Technologies.
• 2020: OFB signs MoU with BEL.
• 2020: BEL signs MoU with Newspace & Research Technologies.
• 2020: BEL and Tech Mahindra Collaborate to Design and Build Cutting Edge Digital Solutions for Aerospace & Defence.
• 2020: BEL inks contract with MoD for Coastal Surveillance System, Phase-II.
• 2020: BEL signs MoU with Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM).
• 2020: BEL signs tripartite MoU with Elbit and GRSE for Unmanned Surface Vessels.
• 2020: BEL achieves record turnover in excess of Rs 12,500 crore.
• 2020: AAI, BEL sign MoU for co-operation in Civil Aviation industry.
• 2021: BEL delivers modules to Thales for RBE2 radar.
• 2021: BEL signs contract with Airbus for C295 aircraft programme
• 2022: BEL partners with Airports Authority of India (AAI).
• 2022: BEL sets up EV charging station at HPCL Retail Outlet.
• 2023: BEL signs MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries.
• 2023: BEL signed an MoU with the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK Surathkal) for co-operation in R&D for the development of emerging technologies and technical solutions for both Defence and non-Defence applications.
• 2024: BEL received an approval from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) for incorporation of ‘BEL IAI AeroSystems’, a Joint Venture Company between Bharat Electronics and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel.
• 2024: BEL received an order from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders for supply of spares related to the missile systems.
• 2025: BEL inaugurates second assembly line for electronic fuzes in Pune.
• 2025: BEL signed a contract with the Indian Navy for the implementation of National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project towards strengthening maritime and coastal security.