In a significant move aligned with India's push for self-reliance in defence, the Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam (IIM-V) has launched a pioneering modular MBA programme exclusively for officers from the defence production sector. This innovative initiative, approved by the Department of Defence Production under the Union Ministry of Defence, represents a strategic effort to build managerial capacity within the nation's vital defence ecosystem.
Programme Launch and Strategic Summit
The programme, which commenced a few months ago, has already enrolled nearly 40 officers from ten Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), the Naval Armament Depot in Mumbai, and Geomarine Dynamics India Pvt Ltd. To complement the academic curriculum, IIM-V recently conducted a two-day Strategic Defence Leadership Summit in New Delhi on December 17 and 18.
This summit was held in knowledge partnership with premier institutions like the National Academy of Defence Production, HAL Management Academy, and the BEL Academy of Excellence. In his inaugural address, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar emphasised the government's focused vision on cultivating capable leadership to realise the goals of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence. He stressed the critical need for leadership development, innovation, and stronger collaboration between government, industry, and academia to enhance self-reliance and global competitiveness.
Building Leadership for Ambitious Targets
Professor M Chandrasekhar, Director of IIM-V, highlighted the necessity of leadership grounded in strategic thinking and execution excellence as India's defence sector undergoes rapid transformation. "IIM-Visakhapatnam is committed to contributing to national capacity-building through focused executive education initiatives," he stated.
The summit featured expert-led sessions on crucial topics such as:
- Defence finance and budgeting
- Business growth strategies for DPSUs
- Defence project management
Senior officials and industry leaders led discussions on contemporary themes including collaborative pathways for innovation, indigenisation, and navigating new horizons in light of current geopolitical realities.
Context: India's Rising Defence Production
The launch of this specialised MBA programme comes at a crucial juncture for India's defence ambitions. The nation has set an ambitious target of achieving Rs 3 lakh crore in defence production and Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.
Recent budget and production data underscore the sector's growth trajectory:
- The 2025-26 defence budget is the highest ever at Rs 6.8 lakh crore, constituting 13.45% of the Union budget.
- Defence production exceeded Rs 1.46 lakh crore in FY 2025, a significant jump from Rs 1.27 lakh crore in FY 2024, marking a 200% increase since FY 2015.
- Approximately 80% of this production is contributed by DPSUs.
- Defence exports have soared to Rs 24,000 crore, which is 34 times the achievement of FY 2014.
- A pivotal shift has been the move towards domestic manufacturing, with 65% of defence equipment now made in India, compared to a 65% import dependence just a decade ago.
IIM-V officials believe the modular MBA programme will be instrumental in transforming defence production enterprises into dynamic "learning organisations." By effectively leveraging their managerial talent, the programme aims to foster strategic capability development, drive sustainable growth, and create innovative solutions to sector-specific challenges, thereby directly contributing to the realisation of the nation's formidable defence production and export goals.
