Nagpur: A swelling order book has put defence public sector undertaking, Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), a company that makes a range of missiles for India's defence services, on an expansion drive.

India's missile maker, Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), has booked 500 acres of land at the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation's (MIDC) estate at Amravati, with the intention of producing air defence missiles.

It has already bagged a Rs14,000 crore order to produce Akash surface-to-air missiles for the Indian Army, and this huge order, coupled with a smaller sized order for the same missile from the Indian Air Force is one of the main reasons for the company seeking to establish new manufacturing facilities.

The new units are expected to become operational from 2015-16 onwards with Amravati likely to be the first. The PSU will be opening five new units entailing a total investment of up to Rs4000 crore.

The expansion drive is expected to result in the creation of hundreds of new jobs.

Currently BDL has units in Hyderabad and Medak districts in Andhra Pradesh. The major part of work on Akash is expected to continue in Hyderabad itself. There are other orders that can include long range missiles and air-to-air missiles.

Work on Amravati site may start in April 2012 with production likely to start in three years.

BDL's other unit is coming up at Ibhrahimpattnam in the Ranga Reddy district close to Hyderabad. This unit is likely to become operational along with the new facility at Amravati, said BDL officials.

The company is also in the process of acquiring 500-600 acres of land in Anantpur and Chitoor districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Each of these new unit will entail an investment of up to Rs800 crore.

BDL has also acquired a 10-acre plot at Vishakhapatnam for the manufacture of torpedoes for the Indian Navy.

BDL, well known as a maker of surface-to-surface 'Prithvi' missiles, produces the entire range of India's tactical and strategic missiles, including the 'Agni' series.

It has produced an upgraded version of the Nag anti-tank missile, which has a fire-and-forget capability, said BDL officials.

This defence PSU commenced operations in 1970 by producing the first generation missiles in collaboration with France and the erstwhile USSR.