Industrialists Seek Easier Access To Defence Import Data In Indore

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Local industrialists from MSMEs and startup entrepreneurs showed keen interest in joining India's drive for self-reliance in defence manufacturing at a workshop held in Indore on Tuesday.

Participants sought information on imported defence products and asked how manufacturers could access such data to help reduce dependence on imports and encourage domestic production.

Several industrialists suggested reducing R&D costs for MSMEs and startups engaged in defence manufacturing and called for the SRIJAN portal to be simplified and made more user-friendly.

The workshop on 'Self-Reliance in Defence Manufacturing' was organised jointly by the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation (MPIDC) and the Department of Defence Production, Government of India, at MPIDC's Regional Office in Crystal IT Park.

The programme was chaired by Divisional Commissioner Dr Sudam Khade. MPIDC Executive Director Himanshu Prajapati, Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, Major General SK Shrivastava, Colonel Rakesh Sisodia and Indo-German Tool Room Manager Anil Rai attended the event, while Anil Kumar Rai, Deputy Director in the Department of Defence Production, joined virtually.

More than 100 representatives from MSMEs, startups, educational institutions, research institutes and industrial organisations participated.

The workshop forms part of a Stage-3 Level Consultation Programme of the Ministry of Defence, with Madhya Pradesh selected as a co-lead state.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Khade stressed the need to expand the role of indigenous manufacturers in defence production and assured participants that their suggestions would be forwarded to the concerned authorities.

Anil Kumar Rai outlined initiatives of the Ministry of Defence to boost domestic defence manufacturing, while Himanshu Prajapati highlighted Madhya Pradesh's defence manufacturing ecosystem and policy support.

Air Marshal Vibhas Pande said industrialists can use the SRIJAN portal to access information on defence procurement requirements and offer their products to the department.