Visakhapatnam:MSME sector has been playing a vital role in defence production, chief of Eastern Naval Command vice admiral Rajesh Pendherkar underlined while addressing a conclave organised on Monday in Visakhapatnam by the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with Department of Defence Production.
The vice admiral said to involve MSMEs, the Navy has launched multiple initiatives, such as the Centre for Indigenisation and Self Reliance (CSR) and various conclaves like Amrit 24. These efforts help micro, small and medium enterprises understand the Navy’s indigenisation requirements. Pendherkar said these initiatives have yielded visible outcomes, with many components, from gas turbine filters to autonomous systems, being developed by MSMEs based on military specifications.
The vice admiral said a crucial discussion point at the conclave had been the difference between indigenisation—the local manufacturing of foreign components—and indigenous development, which involves designing and developing entirely new solutions within India. He underlined that the latter is critical for achieving true self-reliance in defence. He pointed out that the government has created a supportive environment through initiatives like defence industrial corridors, IDEX and defence innovation hubs.
Pendherkar suggested that fostering a culture of innovation is essential. This includes encouraging research and development, supporting emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, robotics and additive manufacturing, and incentivising new ideas through grants and recognition programmes.
The vice admiral emphasised that collaboration between MSMEs, academia and large defence manufacturers will be key for advancing innovation and indigenisation.
“India’s long-term vision is to build naval platforms with 100 per cent indigenous components. The construction of the INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, engaged over 500 MSMEs and created thousands of jobs. This showcases the opportunities for MSMEs to expand from component manufacturing to providing integrated systems to the defence sector,” Pendherkar observed.
Those present at the conclave included AP Industries director Abhishek Kishore.
