DIMAPUR, APRIL 13 (MExN): Indian Armour, a defence equipment firm based in Faridabad is all set to establish a base in Nagaland sometime by the end of this year. The resolution was taken after the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio met with Anil Kant, the CEO of the company and the official signing of the MOU will be done in Kohima in the beginning of next month.
Lanu Yaden, Director of the Tactical and Combat Gear (TAC Gear) of the company, in a telephone conversation with The Morung Express said that this new venture would create employment opportunities for the naturally-talented Naga boys and girls. He added that though the employees would need to go through some initial training he expressed confidence that the local youngsters would excel with their inherent artistic abilities and excellent command over the English language.
The Indian Armour company had initially planned to set up the base in Malaysia which had made a very good offer in terms of land, cheap electricity etc but the company had reconsidered the decision as it seemed illogical to set up the base outside the country. Now the company has decided to acquire some 50 acres near Dimapur considering the availability of primary infrastructure and accessibility of the region.
Commenting on the decision of the company to set up such a base in a region which gave out the perception of threat, Lanu Yaden said that Nagaland was known for insurgency but it was at least not known as a terrorist state, where the innocent people were targets. “We admit that we have a legitimate problem which needs to be solved but you cannot hope for development to be brought from outside” Yaden continued. Saying that Nagaland was in a “Catch-22 situation” Yaden took the example of the state of power in Nagaland which was in a feeble condition because there were no private investors and there were no private company investing in Nagaland because there was no power. He implied that Nagaland needed very much to get out of this vicious cycle and do everything to make the state commercially and economically viable.
Indian Armour Company exports its products to US-based Armour Holdings and it is probable that the armoured vehicles and bullet-proof vests manufactured in Nagaland will be exported for use by the allied forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Defense equipments now have a world wide market demand with the rise in terrorism and the need to protect the solders and the base in Nagaland is expected to cater to the rising demands in this part of the globe.
