Chandigarh recently hosted a significant defence dialogue aimed at harnessing North India's potential in strengthening the country's military industrial complex. The round-table discussion titled "Defence Dialogue: How Can North India Contribute to the Growing Military Industrial Complex in India" brought together top military minds and industry leaders.
Key Participants and Organizers
The event was organized through a collaboration between the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation and Gyan Setu Think Tank, working in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The discussion took place at the CII Northern Region Headquarters, creating an ideal platform for meaningful exchange.
The dialogue was chaired by Lt Gen KJ Singh (retd) with Maj Gen Mandip Singh (retd) serving as co-chair. The distinguished panel included Gen VP Malik (retd), the former Army Chief of India, alongside Lt Gen JP Singh (retd), Col RS Bhatia who serves as chairman of Kalyani Strategic Systems, and several other prominent dignitaries from the defence and industrial sectors.
Critical Recommendations for Defence Growth
Participants reached unanimous agreement on several crucial strategies to boost defence manufacturing in northern India. There was strong emphasis on leveraging the region's substantial academic institutions and industrial infrastructure, with particular focus on the robust MSME sector that forms the backbone of regional manufacturing capabilities.
The experts proposed simplifying the often complex defence procurement procedures and licensing processes to enhance the ease of doing business for private companies operating in the defence sector. This move is expected to encourage greater participation from private players in defence manufacturing.
Building Infrastructure and Capability
A key recommendation involved establishing dedicated R&D clusters and centers of excellence across the northern states of Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana. These facilities would serve as crucial hubs for facilitating the transfer of dual-use technologies from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to regional industries.
The dialogue also highlighted the urgent need for specialized skill development programs designed to create a technically qualified workforce capable of meeting the demanding requirements of high-precision defence manufacturing. This initiative aims to address the skill gap in advanced manufacturing techniques specific to defence applications.
The collective vision emerging from the discussion points toward a future where North India becomes a significant contributor to India's journey toward defence self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta), reducing dependency on foreign defence imports and strengthening national security through domestic manufacturing capabilities.
