Ops for MSMEs, startups in defence sector discussed
Indian industries should focus on quality products, on time delivery, and right price and resilient supply chain and to actively participate in adopting innovation and technologies - Cmde MM Mohan Raju
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Visakhapatnam: A meeting of vendors held here on Wednesday focused on opportunities and avenues for entrepreneurs in manufacture of equipment and spares for ships and submarines and procedures involved for registration. Issues of mutual concern also came up for discussion.
Cmde MM Mohan Raju, Material Superintendent, Material Organisation-Visakhapatnam (Eastern Naval Command) said the Centre is firm to make the country self-reliant in defence sector and encourage ease of doing business for Atmanirbhar Bharat.
He felt that domestic demand of the Indian Defense Sector should be fulfilled by Indian manufacturing industries to reduce dependence on imported material.
He was speaking at a vendors' conclave organised by the AP unit of Confederation of Indian Industry- Andhra Pradesh, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) in partnership with Material Organisation Visakhapatnam (ENC) here.
He urged the Indian industries to focus on quality products, on time delivery, and right price and resilient supply chain and to actively participate in adopting innovation and technologies.
J Srinivasa Raju, convenor, Defence and Aerospace Panel, CII AP and chairman, SIDM State chamber in his address said that Indian defence manufacturing industry is a significant sector for the economy. He mentioned that considering the impetus given by the government on 'Make in lndia' over the last few years and encouraging policies for MSMEs and startups, the potential, and opportunities available in the defence services ecosystem could be harnessed by the Indian industries.
The Indian defence sector provides huge opportunities to MSMEs, startups and entrepreneurs and has a benchmark objective to promote self-reliant India initiative. The government has opened up the defence industry for private sector participation to provide impetus to indigenous manufacturing, said Srinivasa Raju. Cdr Rohit Pratap Singh from Material Organisation (Visakhapatnam) made a detailed presentation on the role of Material Organization Visakhapatnam and its procurement process. He briefed on how to become a vendor of Material Organization Visakhapatnam. He mentioned that conclave aims to provide a platform to enhance awareness amongst vendors on the procedures of defence procurement and quality control besides laying emphasis on self-reliance (Atma Nirbharta).
Col Suhail Zaidi, Head-CII-Centre for Digital Transformation said CDT over the past one and half years during the pandemic had interacted with a majority of the MSMEs, covering several sectors, where they had shared some of the key challenges being faced by them and CDT had tried to assist them through various interventions like digital risk analysis of an organisation.
