Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasized the crucial role that Central Electronics Limited (CEL) plays in developing India’s defense capabilities during the foundation ceremony of the CEL-ESDS Green Data Centre in Sahibabad. This is especially true in the development and maintenance of the BrahMos missile system and contemporary warfare technologies.
He emphasized that two significant defense industrial corridors have been established in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, with Uttar Pradesh experiencing rapid development across six important nodes.
An important step in India’s transition to self-reliance in defense manufacturing has been reached with the start of the BrahMos missile’s production at the Lucknow node in particular. Established in May 2025, this facility can produce 80 to 100 BrahMos missiles a year and incorporates cutting-edge technologies like radar systems, electronic warfare, microwave ferrite, and naval stealth techniques.
A key provider of cutting-edge parts and subsystems for the BrahMos missile and other strategic platforms is CEL, a public sector company with headquarters in Ghaziabad.
The Chief Minister praised the company’s electronics expertise and growing role in the defense industry, pointing out that CEL’s contributions were crucial to the successful testing and deployment of the Akash and BrahMos missiles during Operation Sindoor.
Tests of these missiles against targets in Pakistan proved their dependability and improved India’s defense readiness. With both missiles now acknowledged as “Pakistan-tested” and trusted globally, the effective operational use of these systems has not only improved India’s security but also established their credibility on the international scene.
CEL has diversified into critical digital infrastructure with the establishment of the CEL-ESDS Green Data Centre, a first-of-its-kind facility in India with a planned 30 MW capacity and an investment of roughly ₹1,000 crore.
This data center supports both military and civilian applications and is built to meet strict uptime and security requirements. The occasion also marked CEL’s golden jubilee, signifying the company’s evolution from an uncertain business to a “Mini-Ratna” enterprise prepared to realize the vision of a developed India (“Viksit Bharat”).
A larger plan to establish India as a leader in defense technology and independent manufacturing is reflected in CEL’s expansion into advanced data and green energy infrastructure as well as its integration into the BrahMos missile production ecosystem. Government vision, industrial capacity, and technological innovation are working together to propel organizations like CEL to the forefront of India’s strategic and defense sectors.
