Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) majority owned and founded by the Government of India, is an engineering and manufacturing company based in New Delhi, India. Founded in 1964, BHEL is the largest manufacturer of power plant equipment in India. It was awarded the prestigious status of Maharatna (Big Gem) in 2013 by the Government of India for its outstanding track record and large scale of operations. The elite list of companies in Maharatna contains a total of 7 gigantic public sector companies (PSUs) in India. The status of Maharatna gives the Boards of these companies greater financial and operational autonomy of the Government.
BHEL was established in 1964 by inaugurating the Indian heavy equipment industry in India. Heavy Electricals (India) Limited merged with BHEL in 1974. In 1991, BHEL became a joint-stock company. Over time, it developed the ability to produce a variety of electrical, electronic and mechanical equipment for all sectors, including transmission, transportation, oil and gas and other related industries. However, most of the company's revenues are derived from the sale of equipment for the generation of energy, such as turbines, boilers, etc. As of 2017, equipment supplied by BHEL contributed about 55% of India's total installed capacity. The company has also supplied thousands of electric locomotives to the Indian Railway, as well as defense equipment such as naval weapons and the Simulators of Defense of the Super Quick Gun (SRGM) assembly to the Indian Armed Forces.