A Defining Moment for
Aatmanirbhar Bharat
On 30th March 2025, Refuge Events had the privilege of designing and delivering the inauguration ceremony of the Loitering Munition Test Range and the MALE UAV Runway Facility at Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited (SDAL), Nagpur — graced by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Spread across 1,080 acres, the new Test Range is a landmark facility for India's indigenous defence ecosystem — featuring a dedicated Command & Control Centre, UAV take-off area, endurance and communication range, parachute recovery zone, static and moving target engagement, and warhead lethality testing. The same day saw the unveiling of a 1.27 km runway built for development and testing of MALE/HALE class Unmanned Aerial Systems. The PM was welcomed by Solar Industries Chairman Shri Satyanarayan Nuwal, MD & CEO Shri Manish Nuwal and Shri Raghav Nuwal, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis in attendance. The day also showcased the Nagastra-3 loitering munition, the Bhargavastra counter-drone system and Bhaumastra mine-detection drone before nearly 10,000 Solar Group employees — every detail of the experience designed to honour a moment of national consequence.
What We Were
Up Against
SPG & Defence Protocol
Coordinating with SPG, MoD liaisons, state police and intelligence teams across a high-security defence facility — every supplier and crew member subjected to multi-layer security clearance.
Vast 1080-Acre Site
Designing a seamless guest journey across a sprawling test range — from helipad arrival to Technical Area, product gallery, runway and live system demonstrations — without losing energy or rhythm.
National Stature
Striking the balance between corporate launch dignity and the gravitas of a defence-sector milestone witnessed by the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and 10,000 Solar Group employees.
Live System Demonstrations
Choreographing live demonstrations of Nagastra-3, Bhargavastra and Bhaumastra with split-second precision while accommodating broadcast crews, photographers and 70+ national media outlets.
How Refuge Events
Made It Happen
As an event organiser in Nagpur experienced in national-security-grade protocol, we treated this assignment as a state-level defence inauguration first and a corporate event second. Working hand-in-hand with the SDAL leadership, the PMO advance team, MoD coordinators and the Maharashtra state administration, every decision passed through three filters — national protocol, operational security and the human pride of 10,000 Solar Group employees.
Strategic Discovery & Protocol Mapping
Deep-dive sessions with SDAL leadership, PMO advance teams and defence liaisons to chart the ceremonial sequence, protocol layers, security perimeters and the strategic narrative for the day.
Site Design & Zoning
Transformed the 1080-acre site into five orchestrated experience zones — Helipad arrival, Technical Area inauguration, product gallery, runway dedication and an employee viewing pavilion for 10,000+.
Technical Production
Deployed broadcast-grade AV with redundant power, large-format LED walls at each zone, multi-camera PTZ broadcast setup and dedicated feeds for PIB, Doordarshan, ANI and 70+ national media crews.
Demonstration Choreography
Worked with SDAL engineers to choreograph live demonstrations of Nagastra-3, Bhargavastra and Bhaumastra — every cue, safety check and camera angle timed to the PM's movement across the site.
Flawless Execution
An 80-member on-ground team operating through three full rehearsals and a synchronised D-day run — zero protocol lapses, zero technical failures, and an emotional send-off from three generations of the Nuwal family.
Captured Moments
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Results That
Speak for Themselves
The Solar Test Range inauguration stood as a benchmark for defence-sector event design — flawlessly delivered across a 1080-acre site, telecast nationally, and emotionally received by every dignitary, employee and family member in attendance.
Refuge Events delivered a day worthy of our company's most important milestone. From the helipad welcome to the runway dedication, every element honoured the gravity of the occasion. Their discipline, sensitivity and craft were truly exemplary.
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