Satyanarayan Nuwal and Family

Solar Industries started by making things explode in mines. Now it makes things that protect borders.

Satyanarayan Nuwal started as a small explosives trader in the 1970s. Solar Industries, which he founded, is now India's largest manufacturer of industrial explosives and a growing supplier to the country's defence sector. The industrial business, covering bulk explosives, initiating systems and packaged explosives for mining, infrastructure and quarrying, commands the dominant share of the domestic market and exports to more than 75 countries.

The pivot into defence, led by his son Manish Nuwal, has produced products including propellants, warheads and drone munitions, supported by the Indian government's sustained push to reduce defence imports. The transition from industrial explosives to weapons systems is not as large a technical step as it might appear. The underlying chemistry and manufacturing disciplines overlap considerably. But the defence business operates in a different commercial and regulatory environment, and building credibility in it has taken time and deliberate investment in certifications, partnerships and government relationships.