For The 4th Consecutive Year, Defence Employees Of Ordnance Factories Celebrate Ordnance Factory Day

The United Forum of Ordnance Employees, a forum consisting of the recognised Federations of Defence Employees of 41 Ordnance Factories. AIDEF, BPMS, CDRA and the Officers Associations (IOFSOA) have decided to celebrate the foundation day of Ordnance Factories on 18th of March 2025.

The Government of India and the 7 Corporations of Ordnance Factories have stopped the Ordnance Factory Day Celebrations and rather the Corporations are celebrating 1st October as Corporation Day. The Employees boycotts the Corporation Day and they observe Anti-Corporatisation Day on the same day. However the Employees Organisation continue to celebrate the legacy of the 223 years old Indian Defence Industry every year of Post Corporatisation of Ordnance Factories.

This year also the UFOE have jointly decided to celebrate the OF Day on 18th of March 2025 in a grand manner in all the 41 Ordnance Factories and the celebrations are held with the participation of entire workforce. While on the one side the employees of Ordnance Factories are celebrating OF Day, a shocking news has come in the media that one Supervisory Staff of Ordnance Factory Hazratpur is arrested for leaking classified information to Pakistani Intelligence handler. He has passed sensitive Defence related documents to a women identified as Neha Sharma believed to be a Pakistani Intelligence operative.

www.indianpsu.com spoke to C. Srikumar, The General Secretary of AIDEF, about the OF Day Celebrations and their future course of action and also about one of the employee of an Ordnance Factory passing on Defence Documents to Pakistan Agents. He responded as below:

“Ordnance Factory Employees are patriotic Citizens and nobody can question their integrity and commitment towards the Nation. The Ordnance Factories Employees have proved this several time through their commitment and devotion. However it is a shocking news for all of us that one employee of OEF Hazratpur got himself involved in such a espionage activity which if proved true, the Ordnance Factory Employees will not pardon him. I cannot further comment on this since the investigation agency should bring the fact before the nation that who are all the other people involved in this act. A major issue of leaking / sharing of technical Defence Production information to private companies by the Retired Ordnance Factory Officers who join the Private Corporates after retirement in different positions such as Advisor, Consultant, Board of Directors, etc are being unnoticed by the Government and the Media. These Private Rival Defence Industries of Ordnance Factories are paying hectic amount to these officers and the Technical drawings, specifications, etc developed by the Ordnance Factories through day and night R&D Activities are being handed over to Private Companies. This unfair and unethical practice needs to be banned by the Government. The Government of India should also investigate this matter and there should be a restriction on the retired / retiring officers to not to be in the payroll of Private Defence Industries who are taking all types of unethical means to destroy the Ordnance Factories in the name of cut throat competitions, false propaganda against Ordnance Factories, etc. As regards the OF Day Celebrations the Government and the 7 Ordnance Factories Corporations are deliberately ignoring the legacy of Indian Ordnance Factories which stand as a symbol of Industrial growth of our country for the past more than two centuries. After all the 7 Corporations are carved out from the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board and hence how can the OF Day Celebrations be dispensed with. The role of Indian Ordnance Factories in safeguarding the Nation’s Defence cannot be forgotten. The Contribution of Ordnance Factories is woven in the very fabric of our Nation’s Security. The entire workforce of Ordnance Factories has been an integral part of this patriotic journey. Only their dedication and commitment has made it possible for our country to successively win many wars including the Kargil War. Another matter of serious concern is the fatal accidents which are taking place in the Ordnance Factories post corporatisation. In a written reply given in the parliament by the Ministry of Defence reveals that the number of accidents including blasts in the 41 Ordnance Factories is getting increased in 2022 it was 83 accidents, in 2023 it was 75 accidents and in 2024 it was 62 accidents. During 2020 when the Ordnance Factories was with OFB it was 54 accidents. This itself is a proof that corporatisation of Ordnance Factories is a failure. Corporatisation of Ordnance Factories have not taken away this spirit from the employees rather it has further strengthen them to fight against Corporatisation and Privatisation. We will continue to celebrate the OF Day every year and our struggle to restore back the Ordnance Factories into its erstwhile position of OFB as a Government Industry will continue” concluded C. Srikumar.