Every year on March 18, people remember the founding of the first ordnance factory in colonial India in Cossipore, close to Kolkata, in 1801. This is known as Ordnance Factory Day.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), which oversees the Indian Ordnance Factories, observes the day as a special occasion that provides the opportunity to showcase the creation, manufacture, marketing, and logistics of the huge diversity of weapons and ammunition by the nation's ordnance factories.
History and significance of Ordnance Factory Day: The British rule in India is connected to the origins and growth of ordnance industries. The English East India Company saw the production of military gear as a crucial component in their strategy to strengthen their political influence and economic interest. The official start of the Army Ordnance in India dates back to 1775, when the British government created a Board of Ordnance in Fort William, Kolkata. They also built a gunpowder plant in Ishapore in 1787, and it began operating in 1791. The British created a Gun Carriage Agency in Cossipore, Kolkata, in 1801, and on March 18, 1802, production began there. Ordnance Factories were established for the first time industrially as a result, and they are still in operation today.
In the modern era, every nation needs to maintain a steady supply of weapons and ammunition for its military forces. 41 factories are currently part of the Ordnance Factories organisation, which is divided into five functional Ordnance Factory Board sections (OFB). They also make up a conglomerate that produces defence equipment and offers a vast array of systems for land, sea, and the air. Together with the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy, OFB is one of the four armed forces that make up the nation's defence system.
To honour the OFBs' noble service, the day begins with the raising of the flag and the singing of the National Anthem. Following that, all of the ordnance factories celebrate by putting up exhibits around India where they show off their rifles, guns, artillery, ammo, etc.
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